Shattered Trust - Reunited
by cleotheo
Summary: With Draco and Hermione reunited, they must deal with the repercussions of their separation and the effects it's had on them both. They also have to start dealing with their plans for the future, which includes plotting revenge on the Order, and making a final decision on whether or not they'll be standing with Voldemort. Part three of a four part story.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N – Welcome to the third part of Shattered Trust. This part has 12 chapters and updates will be the usual Wednesdays. I hope you enjoy the third part.**

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Despite it being well after midnight, not one of the people currently in Malfoy Manor were asleep. Down in the dungeons the prisoners rarely slept, but the current prisoners Remus Lupin and Nymphadora Tonks had more reason then most to be awake. Within the last couple of days their lives had crumbled around them and even though they were trying to stay positive they both knew their days were numbered. They were finally going to pay for the part in they'd played in a despicable plan, and worry about what lay ahead of them kept the couple awake.

Up in their bedroom, Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy were also wide awake. The couple were in bed, but rather than sleeping, or indulging in their other bedtime pursuits, they were talking earnestly about their son and their hopes that finally things might be looking up for Draco. They were under no illusions that Draco would just return to his old self again, but they were at least hoping that recent events would bring him back to them and put an end both to his cold demeanour and his suicidal behaviour.

As for Draco Malfoy himself, he was back in his bedroom and for the first time in months, he was with his girlfriend, Hermione Granger. After their emotional reunion, Draco had suggested they returned to his bedroom to talk. He had thousands of questions he wanted to ask Hermione, but now they were back in his room he found he didn't know how to voice them.

Wandering over to the window, Draco stood staring out at the gardens as he tried to get his thoughts in order. He'd never expected to see Hermione again, and now he was regretting his every action since her supposed death. However, he knew her return wouldn't change certain things about his life. He was a Death Eater now, and the only escape from Voldemort's services was death. There was also ice in his heart, and Draco knew even Hermione wouldn't be able to melt it all. Too much had happened for him to ever go back to the way he was. The question was, could Hermione accept him as he now was, or would she walk away from him?

While Draco was gathering his thoughts, Hermione used the time to study her boyfriend. After their reunion and the initial shock of seeing her had worn off, he'd reverted to being cold, and Hermione could easily see glimpses of the formidable Death Eater he now was. She could already tell that things weren't going to go back to how they had been between them. Far too much had happened to them over the last few months, and both of them had changed due to the torment they'd endured. Hermione just hoped that they could still find a way to be together, as she was certain that despite everything they still loved each other.

"I guess it's time we talked," Hermione offered quietly.

"It is," Draco replied equally as quiet as he turned away from the window and faced his girlfriend.

For a few minutes the pair stood awkwardly in front of each other, before Hermione turned and climbed onto Draco's bed. Curling up on the black silk sheets, she grabbed a throw cushion and hugged it to her chest as she prepared to tell her story. Before Hermione started to speak, she waited for Draco to kick off his shoes and join her on the bed. What she really wanted was to curl up in his arms, but she wasn't sure how he would react, so she remained where she was.

"I suppose I should start back at school," Hermione began. "Can you remember that day during the Christmas holidays when I went to see Dumbledore?"

"Yeah," Draco replied.

"Well, he wasn't alone when I arrived in his office. Harry and Ron were there, as well as a small group of the Order," Hermione explained. "They'd been involved in a battle earlier that day, and Voldemort had shown up. According to Harry, he threatened me and made it clear he was coming after me."

"Why didn't you tell me?" Draco interrupted with a snarl, giving Hermione a small glimpse of the anger inside of him. "I should have known if you were in danger."

"I didn't believe I was in danger, in fact I still don't," Hermione replied. "I reckon Voldemort was just trying to rattle Harry. I bet if you ask him about it, he'll not even recall it."

"He better not," Draco muttered darkly. "If he targeted you, I'll bloody well kill him."

Hermione shivered at Draco's words, knowing he meant every word he said. He was definitely a lot darker than she'd ever seen him, and she had no doubt that by the end of her story he would be furious. Not that she could blame him for that, as she herself was fuming at what her so called friends had done.

"Anyway, Harry and the others were convinced the threat was serious and they wanted me to go into hiding. I refused, and let them know exactly what I thought of their ridiculous plan."

"How does all this explain what happened?" Draco asked, growing impatient. "How are you still alive?"

"My death was faked," Hermione said angrily. "After I left Dumbledore's office, my so called friends decided the best way to save me from Voldemort was to fake my death and put me into hiding. Of course they knew I wouldn't agree, so they did it all behind my back."

"How?" Draco questioned. "I saw you that day. Lupin carried you back to school. I saw you in his arms."

"I have no idea how they managed to achieve the details," Hermione admitted. "All I know is that I was in Hogsmeade with Tonks when she got word of an emergency she had to attend to. She insisted on apparating me back to the school gates so she could be sure I was safe before she left. I remember her taking hold of my arm, but after that everything's a blank. The next thing I remember, I was waking up as a prisoner and I discovered what they'd done."

"How did you find out what they'd done?" Draco questioned. "I can't imagine they'd be too eager to tell you what they'd done."

"Sirius stupidly let me see a paper," Hermione answered. "There was an article about my 'death'."

"And how did the bastards justify what they'd done to you?" Draco snarled. As Hermione was talking his anger was rising and it was taking all his self-control not to storm off to the dungeons and see just who they had as prisoners.

"They tried to say they were just protecting me," Hermione replied. "They just couldn't seem to see how wrong their actions were. They've let everyone, bar a select few, think I'm dead. You, my parents, my other friends, you've all suffered."

"Who exactly knew of this plan?" Draco questioned.

"Why?" Hermione looked at Draco warily, wondering what he was planning.

"So I can make sure they suffer," Draco replied with an evil smile. "From what you've said, Potter, Weasley and Dumbledore are all involved. You also mentioned Black and Tonks, and given the fact I saw Lupin with you on the day you supposedly had your accident, I'd wager he was involved as well. Was that it, or were more people involved?"

"Molly and Arthur Weasley also knew," Hermione answered. She knew she was effectively sentencing the couple to death, but at the minute she was too angry with them to care.

Draco nodded, but he didn't respond. He was far too busy working out how to make the Order suffer. Their actions had deprived him of Hermione, and driven him to the dark. For that he was going to make sure they felt all the pain he'd endured and then some.

"And what about you?" Hermione asked quietly, reaching out and placing a hand on Draco's arm. "How did you end up like this, Draco?"

"I lost you," Draco whispered, turning to face Hermione. "Without you, there wasn't a lot of point to my life."

"But why join the dark?" Hermione prodded. "Why pledge your allegiance to Voldemort?"

"That wasn't what I was trying to do," Draco snorted. "When I told him about you, I never expected him to give me the mark."

"If you didn't expect the mark, what did you expect?" Hermione asked cautiously.

"What do you think?" Draco raised an eyebrow at Hermione.

Hermione shook her head, refusing to believe what Draco was implying. "You wouldn't," she whispered. Even though Lucius and Narcissa had implied that Draco had been reckless since her death, she didn't want to believe he'd been suicidal.

"I would," Draco reiterated in an emotionless voice. "I wanted him to end my pain."

A few tears fell from Hermione's eyes at Draco's confession. "You shouldn't have risked your life like that, Draco. Even without me, you still have other things to live for."

"No, I really don't," Draco replied as he abruptly got off the bed and stalked back over to the window. "You have no idea how broken I was when I lost you," he confessed in a small voice as he stared out of the window. "Without you, I didn't want to carry on living. Without you, I lost my purpose."

"But you're still here," Hermione replied quietly as she got off the bed and made her way over to Draco. "Surely that means something."

"It means I'm a coward," Draco retorted, turning his head to look at Hermione. "It means I wasn't strong enough to end my life. I tried to get other people to do it for me, but for some reason I seem to be rather lucky in that respect."

"I'm glad," Hermione said, reaching out and placing a hand on Draco's arm. "I never would have forgiven myself if you'd ended up dead."

"You have nothing to be blaming yourself for," Draco stated firmly. "The only people at fault here, are the Order. The question is, where do you stand in all of this?"

"I stand with you, if you'll have me," Hermione replied.

"After all this, you still want to be with me?" Draco questioned. "You know what I've become, and I'm sure you'll hear all sorts of stories about me."

"I'm sure they'll not all be true," Hermione said.

"They will be," Draco chuckled darkly. "I'm not going to lie, Hermione, I've done some terrible things over these last few months. Can you live with that? Can you live with the monster I've become?"

"I suppose that all depends if that's all you are," Hermione answered. "Are you just a Death Eater, only bothered with killing and destruction, or is the wizard I love still in there?"

"I don't know," Draco confessed, turning his head away from Hermione. "I'm afraid that I'm too broken. You deserve better than me."

"And there he is," Hermione said with a soft smile.

While Draco was obviously damaged by what had happened recently, his last admission proved there was something of the old him still inside. No doubt, it was buried deep, but if anyone could reach him, it would be Hermione. She might not be able to return him to the wizard he once was, but she was confident that in time she could melt his ice cold heart and bring love back into his life.

"I'm not going anywhere, Draco," Hermione said, turning her boyfriend so he was facing her again. "I'm not saying things are going to be easy, but after everything that's happened I'm not giving up on us."

"Before you say that, there's something else I've got to tell you," Draco said with a deep sigh. He knew he was potentially going to break Hermione's heart with his next confession, but he knew it needed to be done if he wanted any chance to keep her in his life.

"It doesn't matter Draco," Hermione interrupted with a shake of her head. "I don't blame you for anything you've done while I've been missing. I don't need to hear this."

"Yes, you do," Draco insisted gently. "This isn't about something I've done as a Death Eater. You need to know that I've been unfaithful to you on two occasions."

"Oh." Hermione took a step backwards as she'd been unprepared for the admission. She couldn't deny she was hurt by the confession, but at the same time she knew she wasn't going to hold it against Draco as it wasn't as if he'd been aware that she was still alive.

"I'm sorry," Draco said quietly.

"Don't be," Hermione said, moving back towards Draco and taking his hands in hers. "You weren't unfaithful because you thought I was dead. You can't be unfaithful to a dead witch."

"It felt like I was being unfaithful," Draco confessed. "I hated myself afterwards, and I wish that I'd never given into temptation. But I want you to know it meant nothing. It was just sex. Not even very good sex, just enough to take care of my needs. I wish I could take it back, but I can't."

"You don't have to take it back," Hermione said. "But I would rather we didn't discuss it again. What you did when you thought I was dead doesn't matter now. All that matters is moving on from here. I don't want to think about the past Draco. I want to focus on the future."

"I'd like that too, but I can't just yet," Draco admitted. "I need vengeance, Hermione."

"I understand," Hermione said with a nod of her head. "I need revenge as well."

"Things are going to get dark," Draco warned, gently cupping Hermione's face. "I can't sit back and let the Order get away with what they've done to you. They're all going to pay."

"And I'm sure it'll be no less than they deserve," Hermione replied. "I know it won't be pretty, but they've brought it all on themselves."

Draco looked at Hermione curiously. Her experience had also clearly affected her and changed her. The Hermione he knew would never had approved of his need for vengeance, but he could see that she did. Draco suspected her need for vengeance could even usurp his, but she was better at controlling her darker desires. Or rather she was better at denying them, but it wouldn't take much for her to give into the darkness and let her thirst for revenge take over.

"What happens now?" Hermione asked. "Do you want me to go back to the guest room?"

"No," Draco replied firmly, his grey eyes flashing possessively as he gazed at Hermione. "You're not going anywhere."

"I was hoping you might say that," Hermione replied with a small smile.

For the first time since their reunion a couple of hours ago, Draco leaned down and placed his lips over Hermione's. He had intended for it to be a short, sweet kiss, but the months of not seeing each other had taken its toll on both of them, and their lips met in a bruising, needy kiss. Clinging to each other, the couple stumbled over to the bed where they collapsed in a tangle of limbs.

"I need you so much," Draco muttered against Hermione's lips.

"Then take me," Hermione urged, her hands already reaching for the buttons on Draco's shirt.

There was nothing slow and romantic about their actions as the pair hurriedly divested themselves of their clothes. When Draco entered Hermione and they began to move together it was pure need that drove them, and the sex was more fast and furious than it had ever been before. They both knew they had the rest of their lives to catch up and make love all night long, but right now they just needed to be together almost as if they were proving that their reunion was real, and finally they were back where they belonged – together.


	2. Chapter 2

Hermione woke feeling more positive than she had for a several months, and even before she opened her eyes there was a smile on her face. She wasn't naïve enough to believe that everything would magically fall into place and she and Draco would get their happy ending right away. She knew they had a long road ahead of them and the future was uncertain, but one thing she was certain of was that she and Draco wouldn't be parted again. They would face whatever came next together.

Eager to see Draco, Hermione opened her eyes only to be disappointed when she found an empty bed beside her. However, when she sat up she was reassured to find Draco standing beside the window, completely naked. Her boyfriend was gazing out over the gardens of the manor, and even though she couldn't see his face, Hermione was certain he was deep in thought. Taking the opportunity, she studied Draco and the scars he'd sustained in the last few months.

The previous evening Hermione hadn't had much time to examine her lover's body, but she now had the chance to really take in the changes to Draco. From where she was lying she could see a sizeable scar on his shoulder and another one that ran down his side. She was also sure he had one on his thigh, and she couldn't help but wonder how he got them. Had he gotten them all in battle with the Order, or had Voldemort himself given him any? Hermione knew she would have to ask Draco about his scars and how he gained them, but she wasn't sure she wanted to deal with how he'd spent the last few months just yet.

Hoping to avoid a serious talk just yet, Hermione silently slipped from the bed and crept over to Draco. Placing a kiss on his scarred shoulder blade, she slid her arms around his waist and nuzzled into his back.

"Morning," she greeted happily.

"Only just," Draco replied. "It's nearly midday."

Hermione was shocked by how long they'd slept until she really thought about the previous evening and realised how late it was when they finally went to sleep. It had been after midnight when she and Draco were reunited, and then they'd talked for a while before falling into bed. Not that they'd gone straight to sleep and Hermione's body still ached slightly from the exertions of the previous night. She'd gone months without sex, and her reintroduction had been rather exhausting.

"Should we be getting up?" Hermione asked, thinking about Draco's parents and how they deserved to know what was happening.

"I think we need to talk first," Draco said, removing Hermione's arms from around his waist and turning to face her.

"Why do I get the impression I'm not going to like this," Hermione muttered, feeling extra vulnerable since she was naked. "You're not going to tell me we can't be together, are you?"

"That's not just my decision to make," Draco replied. "I still want to be with you, and so far you seem to still want to be with me."

"I will always want to be with you," Hermione insisted, sensing that Draco was still having doubts about how she would react when she discovered everything he'd done while she'd been gone. "Nothing can change the way I feel about you, Draco. I love you, and the fact you're a Death Eater changes nothing."

"Actually, it changes everything," Draco corrected. "And that's what I want to talk to you about. Let's get dressed and we can talk."

"My clothes are back in the spare room," Hermione said. "Or at least the clothes your mother loaned me are there, the only clothes I have are the ones I was wearing when I arrived."

"I'm sure we can sort clothes out for you," Draco said. "What about your wand? Do you still have it?"

"No," Hermione answered, her anger flashing in her eyes as she pulled on the silk pyjamas Draco had torn off her the previous evening. "It was missing when I woke up in the cottage, and no-one would tell me where it was. My guess is Dumbledore has is hidden somewhere."

"We'll have to get you a new one until we can get yours back," Draco said. "And we will get it back, Hermione, I promise you."

"I believe you," Hermione replied, giving Draco a quick peck before she headed off to get dressed.

When she returned to Draco's bedroom twenty minutes later, after briefly getting lost in the winding corridors of the manor, Hermione found her boyfriend sitting out on his balcony, the table set for a late breakfast. Despite the fact it was December and there was a thin layer of snow on the ground, it wasn't cold as Hermione emerged onto the balcony and she concluded that Draco kept it temperature controlled.

"This looks lovely, I'm starving," Hermione remarked as she dove into the delicious looking spread.

Draco watched her with the ghost of a smile on his lips as he helped himself to breakfast. Once they'd both had something to eat and were on their second cup of tea, Draco finally broached the subject that had woken him early that morning. While Hermione had been sleeping, Draco had been lying awake for hours, thinking about the future and how dangerous Voldemort was going to be to them. As thrilled as he was to be reunited with Hermione, he was now tied to The Dark Lord and he honestly had no idea how Voldemort was going to react to the news Hermione was back.

"We need to talk about what happens next," he began.

"I want vengeance," Hermione growled. "I told you last night, I want the Order to pay for what they've done to us."

"I want that as well, but we've got to consider the fact I'm no longer a free man," Draco said. "Walking away from The Dark Lord is not an option, no matter how much I wish it was right now."

"He won't accept us, will he?" Hermione asked with a sigh. She'd been so caught up in being reunited with Draco that she'd failed to factor Voldemort into things.

"I don't know," Draco admitted. "He knows you're the reason I went to him in the first place. He might feel like having you back will compromise me and my darkness."

"It won't though, will it," Hermione whispered. "Having me back won't change everything you've been through. You've still suffered, and my return doesn't erase the pain you felt. It doesn't take away the darkness."

"No, it doesn't," Draco agreed. He wished Hermione's return did wipe the slate clean and turn him back into the man he was before her 'death', but he knew life wasn't that simple. There was a darkness in his soul that not even Hermione could hope to eradicate.

"You're just going to have to prove to Voldemort that me being back doesn't change anything," Hermione declared. "I think in order to get our revenge, we're going to need to keep him onside."

"You're not joining the Death Eaters," Draco interjected, sensing where Hermione was going next.

"God no," Hermione said, shuddering slightly at the thought. "But for the time being, I'm happy to align myself with him and against the Order. We can convince him that the Order's actions have brought about a change of views in me. I've been locked up so I can tell him that I can't tell him much, but I can swear to get revenge on everyone who played a part in faking my death. And since that includes Harry and Dumbledore, he should be happy to go along with that."

"And what happens when our revenge is complete?" Draco questioned. "Once we've got rid of Potter and Dumbledore, The Dark Lord will take over. He might not be so accommodating towards you when you're no use to him."

"I have no intention of living under Voldemort's rule," Hermione said fiercely. "Once we've used him to get revenge on the Order, we're going to take him out and free the wizarding world."

Draco was so taken aback by what Hermione was saying that all he could do was stare at her in shock. Even though she was back, he hadn't been able to see a way in which he would be free of Voldemort, yet Hermione seemed awfully sure that it was possibility.

"I don't understand," he finally managed.

"It's a long story, but basically the Order know how to defeat him, they just don't have everything they need to do it. I know what they need, and while I don't know how to get everything we need just yet, I do think we have a chance of finding them. Voldemort will never suspect us and he'll never see us coming."

"Let me get this straight," Draco muttered. "You want us to align ourselves with The Dark Lord to get our revenge on the Order. When they're dealt with, you then want us to turn on him and kill him."

"That's about the size of it," Hermione said with a nod.

"What about the prophecy?" Draco asked. "Everyone knows Potter is the one destined to kill him."

"Or be killed by him," Hermione corrected. "If we get our revenge first, Voldemort will have taken Harry out, therefore the prophecy will have been fulfilled. There's no prophecy on what happens to whoever wins between Harry and Voldemort. Who's to say we're not the ones to take him out and save the world?"

"Bloody hell, it's a dangerous plan," Draco said with a low whistle.

"So is going to Voldemort as a way of getting yourself killed, yet you did it," Hermione retorted. "You're not afraid of danger, Draco."

"I wasn't when I had nothing to lose," Draco replied quietly. "Now I've got something to lose again. I couldn't cope with losing you for a second time Hermione. I barely clung on as it was. This plan of yours will put us in danger."

"It's either that or live under Voldemort's rule," Hermione argued. "And you said yourself, he might not be so tolerant of me once the Order are dealt with. This is our only chance of freedom, Draco. I'm willing to accept your darkness, but you have to be willing to accept that I don't want to live my life surrounded by the dark. I'm ready to dive into the darkness to get my revenge, but I'm doing so knowing there's a light at the end of the tunnel."

"It's not easy to give up the darkness once you've submerged yourself," Draco warned. "Even when light comes back into your life, the darkness remains. By gaining revenge, you might be setting yourself on a path you can't get back off. Are you sure you're ready for that, Hermione?"

"With you, I'm ready for anything," Hermione said with a smile as she reached over and clasped Draco's hand in hers. "And what about you, are you ready to play the darkest wizard that ever lived for a fool?"

"I'm in," Draco said with a sharp nod of his head. "But we do things my way. If we're doing this, we need to inform my parents of our goals. They need to know what we're planning, although I don't want them helping. You and I will do this together."

"Whatever you want," Hermione replied. She wasn't sure if going it alone was the best way to go, but for the time being she was happy to bow to what Draco wanted if it meant getting him to agree to her plan of taking out Voldemort once they'd had their revenge. "But are you sure Voldemort will accept me without too much trouble?"

"If he causes trouble I can handle him," Draco answered with confidence. "I don't think you quite realise just how much potential he sees in me. I'd wager I'm one of a rare few of his followers that would dare challenge him. As long as the darkness in me still exists, he won't put up too much of a fight. And until I get my revenge, I can promise you that my darkness is about to come right to the fore. If he wants proof of how dark I still am, the prisoners down in the dungeons would be the perfect place to start."

Hermione suppressed a shudder at the evil glint in Draco's eyes. She believed that until he got revenge his darkness would still consume him, and the big test would come once their revenge was complete. Maybe then his darkness would recede, but by then Hermione would have also let the darkness into her heart. She was just hoping that it was possible for love and darkness to live side by side, and that their thirst for revenge wasn't going to wreck everything between them.


	3. Chapter 3

Throughout breakfast Lucius and Narcissa kept hoping their son would put in an appearance. Over the last few months they hadn't actually shared a meal with Draco unless they'd practically forced him to join them for dinner, but they were hoping that things might be about to change. They were both full of optimism that the return of Hermione would in turn lead to the return of the son they loved. Not that they still didn't love Draco, because they would always love him no matter how dark he became, but they wanted back the wizard who acknowledged them and treated them like the loving parents they were.

"What if it hasn't changed anything?" Narcissa questioned later that morning once she Lucius were settled in the living room. "What if it's too late and Draco is already lost to us."

"I refuse to believe that," Lucius said with a shake of his head. "I'm not fooling myself into thinking we're going to get the same boy back, but I refuse to believe he's too far gone. He buries his feelings, but he still cares about people. Just look at the way he refused to let his friends join The Dark Lord."

"That was months ago," Narcissa pointed out. "If they tried again now, he might not care enough to stop them."

"No, now the Granger girl is back things are going to change," Lucius reassured his wife.

"What do you think The Dark Lord will do about her?" Narcissa asked. "I like her Lucius, and I don't want her being hurt. If anything really did happen to her, I don't think Draco would cope. If the worst happens, we're going to lose Draco for good."

"I think we're going to have to hope The Dark Lord gives Draco the freedom to live his life," Lucius said, not sounding at all sure if it would happen. To be honest he'd been so caught up in the prospect of getting his son back that he hadn't considered Voldemort's role in things.

"And what if he doesn't?" Narcissa pressed. "Will Draco and Hermione be forced to flee?"

"There's no outrunning The Dark Lord," Lucius said sagely. "Fleeing would only result in their deaths. I think we're going to have to have faith that Draco can talk The Dark Lord around."

"And that is exactly what I intend to do," Draco's voice said from the doorway.

Both Lucius and Narcissa rose to their feet as Draco entered the room with Hermione behind him. For the first time since he'd returned from Hogwarts following Hermione's 'death', he was approaching them and both Lucius and Narcissa couldn't help but be optimistic.

"How are the pair of you?" Narcissa asked. "Should I send for the elves and have them bring you some food?"

"We've already ate," Draco replied crisply.

"But thank you for offering," Hermione said, smiling at Narcissa.

"And you're both okay?" Lucius asked, pleased that Draco had approached them but noting that he was still being short with them.

"I think we're both doing as well as can be expected," Hermione answered. "Recent events are rather a lot to take in."

"Yes, they are," Lucius agreed.

"But we don't really have time to dawdle," Draco interrupted. "The Dark Lord could be back at any day, and we all need to stand together if we want to survive."

"You know we've always been here for you, Draco," Narcissa said softly, the pain of the last few months evident in her voice.

"I know," Draco admitted in a low voice, filled with his own pain. "And I'm sorry. I haven't been a good son."

"You've been grieveing," Lucius said, rather surprised they'd gotten an apology from Draco. "But now that things have changed, where do we stand?"

"I'd like you to stand with Hermione and I," Draco said. Sitting down with Hermione, he gestured for his parents to do the same before he told them of the plan he and Hermione had discussed that morning.

"Bloody hell, Draco," Lucius remarked with a low whistle as beside him, Narcissa numbly shook her head. "Do you have any idea how dangerous your plan is? You're going to try and overthrow The Dark Lord."

"Not right away, which is why he won't see it coming," Draco argued. "For the next few months, he won't find two better servants than Hermione and I. We're going to deliver him the Order on a platter and win him the war."

"And you're sure this is what you want?" Lucius asked, turning to Hermione. He could understand the pair's need for vengeance, and while given how dark Draco had become it didn't surprise him that his son was so bloodthirsty, but it did shock him that Hermione not only approved of his darkness but shared it.

"It is," Hermione confirmed with a determined nod. "Don't forget these people tore me away from my life and caused everyone I loved to mourn my loss. Draco wasn't the only one who suffered, my parents also still think I'm dead."

"We're going to have to think about the best way to tell them the truth," Draco said thoughtfully.

"I'm not sure there is a best way to break the news that my death was faked," Hermione replied with a snort.

"Maybe there's no best way, but there is a smarter way," Lucius said. "If we just go blundering in we could risk letting the Order know Hermione is working with us. Since no-one in the Order knows about the two of you, they'd have no reason to think she's anything but a prisoner. But if we go running to her parents, we could give away the element of surprise."

"You're right," Hermione said with a thoughtful nod. "We need to keep my deflection quiet until we have a solid plan of attack."

"And for that we're going to need The Dark Lord," Draco said. "I'm confident we can convince him Hermione being back and on our side is for the best, but he won't take too kindly to us planning everything without him."

"So what do we do about the Grangers until then?" Narcissa asked. "They need to know their daughter is alive. They've suffered enough, it's time to end their pain."

"I can get them away and somewhere the Order, or The Dark Lord for that matter, can't touch them," Lucius offered. "I know it's going to be difficult for them, but I think they're going to be safer out of the way."

"Let's do it," Hermione said. "I want my parents safe."

"Will they approve of this need for vengeance you've developed?" Lucius asked.

"They need never have to know about it," Hermione replied, a steely look in her deep brown eyes. "They've never known the small details of my life in the wizarding world, and that doesn't have to change. All they need to know is that I'm alive and they haven't lost me."

"If you don't want to be part of this Father, you don't have to be," Draco said sharply, unimpressed that twice Lucius had questioned Hermione's desire to get revenge on the people who had destroyed their lives.

"I never said I didn't want to be part of it," Lucius said. "I was merely checking Hermione was sure of what she was getting into. You of all people know how the darkness sucks you in, Draco. It's not always easy to walk away once you've blackened your soul. Right now the pair of you think you can get your revenge and then turn on The Dark Lord, but it might not be that simple. By the time you get your revenge you might be too far gone to achieve redemption."

"Then we'll deal with that if it happens," Hermione said firmly. "I won't just sit back and do nothing when my entire life has been treated as though it was of no value. Everyone involved with the plot to fake my death is going to pay for their actions, and I don't care how dark I have to go to get my vengeance."

"I won't say anything else on the matter," Lucius promised. "Now aside from helping Hermione's parents, what do you want us to do?"

"Nothing," Draco answered.

"Draco, let us help you," Narcissa pleaded.

"It's too dangerous," Draco insisted. "The best way you and Father can help us is by staying out of things and going along with whatever we say or do. If everything works out we'll all be free, and maybe then we can all get what we want. I can get a life with Hermione, and you can get your son back. But until then, nothing changes. I need the darkness if we're to survive. I need to show The Dark Lord that I still have value. I need to show him that I'm still the ruthless Death Eater I'm known as."

"And are you?" Narcissa asked quietly. There was no doubt Hermione's return had changed her son, but it hadn't been the major change she'd been hoping for and there was still more darkness in her son than what she was comfortable with.

"Yes," Draco answered without hesitation. "Hermione may be back and my priorities have changed, but some things can't be undone. There's a darkness is me that will never die."

"But now there's a lightness in you as well, and in time the light can grow and block out the dark," Hermione said, reaching for Draco's hand.

"I hope so," Draco replied with a wry smile. "But right now, I need to focus on the darkness. And I think the best way of doing that is to pay a visit to our prisoners in the dungeons."

"Already?" Hermione asked, unsure if she was ready to see just what Draco was capable of just yet.

"It'll just be a friendly visit," Draco answered with a smirk that was anything but friendly. "Although just out of interest, who is down in the dungeons?"

"Remus Lupin and Nymphadora Tonks," Hermione replied. "They were the ones babysitting me when the Death Eaters attacked.

"And that will be their funeral," Draco said as he rose to his feet. "You don't have to come with me," he added when Hermione also got to her feet.

"Yes, I do," Hermione said with a firm nod of her head. "I can't hide from your darkness Draco, not if I want us to take revenge on the Order."

"And what if you can't cope?" Draco asked quietly.

Even though Hermione was back he was well aware that there was no guarantee she would stay with him once she'd seen the full extent of his blackened soul. She'd been adamant that his darkness wouldn't change how she felt about him, but Draco knew the real proof would come when she'd seen him in action and witnessed for herself how brutal and uncaring he could be.

"I don't know," Hermione admitted. She'd been so sure that nothing could stop her loving Draco, but she knew the real test of that faith was about to take place. "But let's find out."

Knowing that they couldn't put off the inevitable any longer, Draco led the way down to the dungeons. By the time they reached the occupied cell, Hermione was shaking slightly and Draco was worried that she was going to back away from him. However, she confessed that being back in the dungeons wasn't a pleasant experience as she hadn't enjoyed her brief time as a captive to the dark.

"I'm sorry you were ever put down here," Draco said.

"Your father removed me from here as soon as he knew I was here," Hermione replied. "I was only down here a few hours, but it was enough to know I wouldn't want to be held down here for very long. Tonks and Lupin must already be in a terrible state."

"Do they know about us?" Draco asked. He was figuring they might know something since Lucius had removed Hermione from the dungeons.

"They do, and they were terrified when we left them," Hermione answered.

"They're going to be even more terrified after I've had a little chat with them," Draco said with a smirk as he pulled out his wand.

Hermione was still without a wand, but she didn't need one as Draco opened the cell door and strolled confidently into the dungeon cell. Hermione moved into the doorway so she could take in the scene of Tonks and Lupin chained to the wall, glaring warily at Draco. Tonks was the first to spot Hermione and judging by the brief flicker of hope that illuminated her face she thought Hermione was still on their side, despite what she'd said when she'd departed the dungeons.

"Hermione," Tonks whispered softly.

"Don't you talk to her," Draco spat, moving so that he was standing in between his girlfriend and the prisoners. "After everything you've done, you don't deserve to even utter her name."

"It's okay," Hermione said, moving further into the cell. "Let her speak, Draco."

"Please don't do this," Tonks begged. "We love you, Hermione. We only did what we thought was right. But this isn't right, you know that. You're not a bad person. Don't let him drag you down to his level. He's evil, Hermione."

"And who made him that way?" Hermione snorted. "Everything that is about to happen, is a product of your own lies and deceit. You've brought on all of this yourselves."

"And is that how you're going to justify this?" Lupin asked. "Telling yourself that this is all our fault? You can't hide from your actions forever, Hermione. You're choosing to take his side. You're choosing to give into the darkness."

"You're right, I am choosing this. I am choosing the darkness," Hermione said. "But more importantly, I'm choosing Draco. And I stand right behind whatever he wants to do to you."

"And just what is that, I wonder," Draco mused, tilting his head thoughtfully. "There's so many wonderful options. I hear werewolves have an aversion to silver, even in their human form. Is that true, Professor?"

"Do what you will Draco, I won't give in," Lupin said.

"Give in?" Draco laughed. "I don't want you to give in, I want you to suffer. I'll be honest with you, neither of you are getting out of this dungeon alive. It all comes down to how much you suffer before you die. Just how much pain can I inflict before death becomes a welcome relief for you both?"

Hermione noticed the way both Tonks and Lupin shivered at Draco's words. So far all her boyfriend had done was talk, but the threat was very evident and his whole demeanour oozed danger. Although she suspected that once he got to work on the pair, he would be a whole lot scarier and that would be when she truly knew just what he was capable of.

"You do know they're a couple," Hermione offered slyly, wanting Tonks and Lupin to know that she was every bit a part of the punishment as Draco, even though she wasn't likely to touch them.

"Are they now?" Draco returned with a smirk. "Now isn't that interesting. Do you know the best way of hurting someone isn't to hurt them, it's to hurt the person they love. I know that better than anyone. And rest assured, now I know of your little romance I'll make sure you both get to see the other one suffer before you go. And just think, you've brought this all on yourselves. All you had to do was say no to Dumbledore's crazy scheme and you wouldn't be here."

"It wasn't Dumbledore's plan," Lupin spat, his focus entirely on Hermione. "It was Harry's."

"No," Hermione whispered, taking an involuntary step backwards. She hated her friends for going along with the plan to fake her death, and she refused to believe her own best friend had been the one to come up with the plan in the first place.

"Why would I lie? What do I have to gain from lying at this point?" Lupin asked. "Harry came up with the plan. He was the one trying to save your life, Hermione. Just remember why all this started in the first place. Hate us for helping him all you like, but just remember Voldemort was the one behind this. He threatened your life, all Harry did was save it. And how do you repay him, by walking into the arms of one of the most dangerous Death Eater's he has at his disposal. Maybe we shouldn't have saved you. Maybe you would have been better off dead."

Hermione didn't even have time to react to Lupin's words before Draco surged forward and planted a fist right in the werewolf's face. The force would have sent Lupin staggering backwards if he hadn't been chained to the wall, but as it was it had him reeling. Blood poured from his nose and mouth, but Draco still wasn't done and he landed two more solid blows before steeping back.

"Soon werewolf," he promised in a low, deadly voice. "I'll be back, and when I am, you're going to get a whole lot more than a bloody nose."

Spinning around, Draco strode out of the cell without giving the prisoners another glance. Hermione followed after him, still reeling from the bombshell Lupin had dropped on her. She was also thinking about the fact that she'd glimpsed some of Draco's darkness and it hadn't scared her. He could have really done some damage to Lupin, and Hermione was surprised to find she was slightly disappointed that he hadn't hurt him further. It would seem her desire for revenge was outweighing her previous good character. It looked like the darkness was creeping into her soul, and she was more than ready to embrace it.


	4. Chapter 4

While Hermione was adjusting to life at the manor, and preparing to help Draco wreak a terrible vengeance on those who had faked her death, the Order were reeling over the loss of Tonks and Remus. As promised, Albus Dumbledore had called a meeting and announced that the pair had been snatched while enjoying a romantic weekend together. The news had shaken the group to the core and everyone was left wondering what happened next.

The dark weren't known for taking a lot of prisoners, but those that were snatched ended up at Malfoy Manor. Or at least they did now the Malfoys were no longer neutral and had nailed their colours to Voldemort's mast. Unfortunately, Malfoy Manor was virtually impenetrable and rescuing anyone from there would be nigh on impossible.

"I can't believe I'm saying this, but I think we've already lost them," Minerva McGonagall said quietly, relieved that neither of Tonks's parents were around to hear her negativity.

"I have to agree," Kingsley Shackelbolt added sombrely. "I see no way we can even attempt a rescue mission. If of course they're still alive. They could have been killed by now."

"Until we know they're dead, we have to stay positive," Dumbledore said quietly. Personally, he agreed that Tonks and Lupin were beyond saving but he knew that Sirius and Harry wouldn't just give up so they had to keep fighting. They also had to try and find a way to get Hermione back without the rest of the Order finding out what had happened.

"What do you suggest?" McGonagall asked her old friend.

"Honestly, I have no idea," Dumbledore admitted with a sad sigh.

"Maybe this should be where our secret weapon comes into things," Sirius Black remarked, throwing a disparaging glare down to the table to where Severus Snape was sitting quietly. "You are supposed to be on our side, are you not, Snape?"

"What do you expect me to do?" Severus asked in a bored drawl. "I can hardly mount a rescue from the manor. Not without revealing my true colours and painting a target on my backside."

"Severus is right, we can't ask him to risk his cover," Dumbledore said.

"So yet again he's bloody useless," Sirius snorted.

"Not quite," Severus said. "I might not be able to help mount a rescue, but I can at least find out if a rescue is still viable."

"What?" Ron Weasley questioned in confusion.

"He's saying he can check if Tonks and Remus are still alive," Harry Potter told his best friend. He was guessing Ron wasn't quite with it as like him he was worrying about Hermione, plus he was also taking a lot of pain medication for his leg that would never heal properly thanks to Malfoy.

"I can," Severus said with a nod. "Would you like me to do that?" he asked Dumbledore.

Instead of responding with an immediate yes, Dumbledore got a panicked look in his eyes and Severus noticed the way his gaze flitted around several members of the Order, all of whom also looked worried about something. However, all this happened in a matter of seconds and almost as quickly as the look of panic had filled his eyes, it vanished and he nodded his head, agreeing that Severus should find out what he could from the enemy.

"How exactly did the dark find Remus and Tonks?" Kingsley suddenly asked. "And more importantly, why did they find them? What did they want?"

"What they always want, to win the war," Harry answered with a snort.

"But this is different," Kingsley argued. "This isn't an attack that led to them being caught. They were snatched from a house somewhere off the radar. If Sirius hadn't wanted to talk to Remus about something, we still wouldn't even know they were missing."

Dumbledore had given the cover story that Sirius was the one to alert them to the missing couple when he'd tried to get in touch with Remus and failed. The story wasn't big on details, but Dumbledore hadn't really expected anyone to question what they were being told. He was rather used to the Order just believing everything he said and doing exactly what he said without question.

"Kingsley is right," McGonagall said with a nod of her head. "There is something not quite right here."

"Honestly, I have no idea how the dark knew where to find Tonks and Remus," Dumbledore said honestly.

He was still puzzling over how the dark had found the house they were holding Hermione in, and he was secretly thinking that somewhere they had a leak. The only problem was, the only people who knew where Hermione had been kept, were people he trusted implicitly. He hated to think of one of them betraying the light, but it was something he was being forced to consider, and right now, no-one was above suspicion.

"Unless of course, someone has been passing information to the dark," Harry suggested, his green eyes sweeping around the room trying to find someone who looked guilty. Like Dumbledore he'd come to the conclusion that someone had betrayed them, but unlike Dumbledore he was wondering if it had been someone who had overheard something about the house and passed the information on, not knowing all the details of what was happening there.

"You think we have a traitor in the midst?" Arthur Weasley asked shakily. He suspected that suspicion was going to fall on him for letting the dark know where Hermione was as he'd tried to back out of the plan and had made it clear he thought they'd made a huge mistake in faking her death.

"It makes sense," Ron said, backing up his best friend. "Someone could have heard Remus and Tonks talking and passed word to the dark that they would be alone and out of the Order's protection."

"But no-one here would do that," Molly Weasley argued. She knew any talk of a traitor would inevitably lead to questions being asked about her husband, but no matter how he felt about what they'd done, she trusted that he would never do anything to put any of them in danger.

"Let's not throw allegations around," Dumbledore said soothingly. The last thing he wanted was for a full on argument to break out as who knew what Harry or Ron might let slip in the heat of the moment. "First and foremost, let's find out if Remus and Tonks are still alive. We'll convene again in the morning, hopefully with news of the pair, and talk again. I urge people to spend the night thinking. We need plans people, unless we're going to abandon our own to the dark."

"Not a chance," Sirius growled. "Remus is my best friend, and I won't rest until he's back here where he belongs."

With Sirius's harsh promise the meeting broke up. Most people scurried off quickly, still shaken by the news. Inevitably the last people left around the kitchen table were Dumbledore, Harry, Ron, Sirius, Molly and Arthur. Alone again, they could talk freely and Molly asked the question they'd all been thinking since Severus offered his services.

"Is it safe to let Severus go poking around at the manor? What if he finds out about Hermione?"

"I think it's a risk we're going to have to take," Dumbledore replied with a frustrated sigh. "I couldn't refuse his offer without people getting suspicious. He is perfectly placed to get us the information we need about Remus and Tonks."

"But he's also perfectly placed to find out our secret," Harry argued. "Once he goes to the manor, he could well find out that Hermione is still alive."

"If he does, I'm confident he will come to me before he brings it up at a meeting," Dumbledore said.

"And you think you can convince him that we done the right thing?" Sirius asked.

"I don't know," Dumbledore admitted. "I can try. But I guess if it doesn't work, I can always use underhand tactics to keep our secret. Leave Severus to me. You lot just try and think of a plan of action. As impossible as rescue seems to be, we can't just sit back and do nothing when our friends are in trouble."

Hoping that Dumbledore was right and that he could handle Severus if he became a problem, the group disintegrated and went their separate ways. They had a lot on their mind, and every single one of them was worried about what would happen if the truth about Hermione emerged. Deep down they all suspected that no-one would understand the lengths they'd gone to in order to save Hermione. After all, Hermione hadn't even understood and it was her life they'd been trying to save. Chances were no-one else would approve and if they weren't careful their reputations could end up broken beyond repair.

* * *

Severus Snape left the Order meeting with a funny feeling pooling in the pit of his stomach. He often suspected Dumbledore didn't tell the entire Order the truth about a lot of things, but this time he got the impression the headmaster was hiding something significant from the group. Only Severus didn't think he was alone in keeping this particular secret. Sirius, Harry and Ron had all looked uncomfortable at various times throughout the meeting, and everyone within the Order knew that there had been tensions between Molly and Arthur for several months. Severus suspected there was something going on that only six of them knew about, and he was determined to find out what it was.

He was also curious about the fact Tonks and Remus had been snatched from a property not connected with the Order. It was only recently that Lucius had quizzed him about a house in Wales, and he couldn't help but wonder if that was where Tonks and Remus had been taken from. Had his friend known beforehand that the dark planned on snatching the pair, and if so, why hadn't he told him?

Eager for answers, Severus spared enough time to tidy himself up before flooing to the manor. He usually didn't call unannounced and he hoped that Lucius and Narcissa didn't mind the intrusion. However, when one of the elves arrived to greet him he was informed that Lucius was out. Fortunately, Narcissa was at home and the elf took Severus to her in the living room.

"Severus, how nice to see you," Narcissa greeted, putting down the catalogue she'd been browsing through to get ideas for Christmas presents.

"Sorry for not calling first, but I'm here on business," Severus replied, immediately noticing that Narcissa seemed brighter than he'd seen her in months. The situation with Draco had been taking a severe toll on her, but there was a definite difference to her demeanour today. "Is Lucius around?"

"I'm afraid he's not," Narcissa answered.

"Maybe Draco then?" Severus asked.

"I think Draco is up in his wing," Narcissa said. In fact she knew for a fact that was where he was as he and Hermione had retreated back to his wing once they'd been down to the dungeons. "I can send an elf to check."

"How is Draco?" Severus asked as Narcissa called back the elf and asked him to go and see if Draco was free.

"Not bad," Narcissa answered cagily. She didn't want to lie to Severus, but they hadn't discussed telling other people about Hermione and his visit had caught her rather off guard.

For the second time that day, Severus got the distinct impression he was being lied to. The difference was, he was expected it from Dumbledore, but he didn't expect it from his friends. There was something Narcissa didn't want to tell him, or at the very least something she didn't know if it was safe to tell him.

"What's going on Narcissa?" Severus asked.

"I don't know what you mean," Narcissa said with a frown.

"There's something you're not telling me," Severus said. "Where's Lucius?"

"I can't say," Narcissa replied. Her husband was in fact making sure Hermione's parents were safe from both Dumbledore and Voldemort.

"Does it have something to do with the prisoners that were taken yesterday?" Severus asked. "Aha, it does," he crowed when a look of guilt flashed over Narcissa's face. "What is going on, Narcissa?"

"It's not my place to say, Severus," Narcissa whispered, spotting movement behind her friend and seeing her son enter the room with Hermione behind him.

"Then whose is it?" Severus demanded.

"Mine," Hermione said softly from the doorway, having heard enough to know what was going on between the pair.

Severus paled at the familiar voice and he spun around so quickly that his black robes almost covered Narcissa. When he spotted Hermione standing in the doorway beside Draco, his knees buckled and he grabbed a nearby chair to keep himself upright.

"You're alive," he muttered.

"I am," Hermione confirmed.

"How?" Severus gasped. "I don't understand."

"Dumbledore and some others faked my death," Hermione explained. "I was kept a prisoner in a house with a constant guard."

"The house in Wales, Lucius was asking about," Severus mumbled.

"His source within the Order told him something was going on at the house," Narcissa supplied. "We had no idea Hermione was there until she was brought home with the other prisoners."

"So the others are still alive?" Severus checked.

"For now," Draco answered darkly.

"You intend to kill them?" Severus asked the young wizard, who was looking as cold and menacing as ever.

"I do," Draco replied in a low voice. "Everyone who took part in the plot to fake Hermione's death are going to suffer."

"You know who was involved?" Severus asked.

"Yes, it was the same group who kept guard," Hermione answered. "Tonks, Lupin, Sirius and Molly. Arthur was also involved, but he was regretting what they'd done. He almost helped me escape at one point, but Molly turned up and stopped him. And let's not forget Harry and Ron."

"They knew?" Severus asked, genuinely shocked as he recalled how broken up the pair had seemed when Hermione had died.

"They knew," Hermione snarled. "Although my guess is they're all keeping quiet about me, are they? I don't suppose there's been a meeting to announce I was gone."

"I've actually just come from a meeting and it was all about Tonks and Remus," Severus admitted. "Your name wasn't mentioned once."

"Cowards," Draco spat.

"I have to say, I'm in shock here," Severus admitted quietly.

"Join the club," Narcissa said with a sympathetic smile.

"So what happens now?" Severus asked.

"Lucius is currently getting my parents to safety," Hermione explained. "We're then going to wait for Voldemort to return and I'm going to help him bring down the Order."

"You're joining the dark?" Severus questioned in shock.

"For the time being," Draco answered for his girlfriend. "I think we should bring Severus in on our plan," he said quietly to her.

"If you're sure," Hermione said as she and Draco settled down on one of the sofas.

"Plan?" Severus queried as he sat down and Narcissa joined him on the sofa opposite the young couple.

Draco quickly ran over his and Hermione's intention to get revenge on those who had torn them apart, before finding way to get rid of Voldemort once and for all. Severus was surprised by the route the young couple were going down, but he vowed to keep quiet and promised to do whatever he could to help them. He honestly couldn't blame them for going after the Order, and personally he hoped that every single person who had helped fake Hermione's death suffered a great deal.


	5. Chapter 5

The day after finding out Hermione was still alive, Severus was still coming to terms with the shocking news. He was also still adjusting to the fact Dumbledore and several others could go to such drastic lengths. He'd witnessed the devastation Hermione's death had caused at Hogwarts, and he was amazed that Dumbledore, and especially Harry and Ron, would put people through so much unnecessary pain. So many people had been hurt when Hermione had supposedly died, and in Severus's opinion it was all for nothing. Even if Voldemort had genuinely threatened Hermione and had meant it, there were other ways to deal with the threat rather than faking her death.

And of course, Severus couldn't ignore the repercussions faking Hermione's death had had on Draco. In less than a year, Draco had gone from being a normal teenager, to a detached and dangerous Death Eater. For the first time in months, Severus had seen a spark of the old Draco the previous evening, but even then there was still so much coldness in him that he doubted even Hermione's return would ever bring him back to the wizard he once was. Draco would now always have darkness in his soul, and it was all the Order's fault.

The previous evening at the manor, Severus had also agreed to do what he could to help Draco and Hermione's plan to defeat Voldemort once they'd gained revenge on the Order. In fact he'd suggested that he could even try and secretly rally a new fighting force once word of Hermione's fake death began to spread. Severus had no doubt that there would be a lot of people so disgusted by what Dumbledore and the others had done, they would want nothing more to do with the Order. However, they could still want to fight, and Severus had reminded Draco and Hermione that if truly wanted to take down Voldemort they were going to need help.

It had taken some persuading, but eventually Draco and Hermione had agreed with Severus and they'd asked him to see what he could do about quietly gathering some supporters. However, nothing like that could happen until Hermione's fake death was public knowledge, and that couldn't happen until Voldemort came home and was consulted on what was going to happen next. Severus just hoped that for both Hermione and Draco's sake that Voldemort was as accepting as Draco seemed to think he was going to be. Who knew what would happen if Voldemort returned and refused to accept Hermione.

Still, there was nothing Severus could do to help the young couple with Voldemort, so he pushed their dilemma out of his head as he prepared to head to Order headquarters. With Voldemort away it had been difficult to decide what to tell the Order, but he and Lucius had finally settled on a story which should hopefully worry those in the Order who knew that Hermione wasn't dead. The story would also hopefully delay any plans the Order were making long enough for Voldemort to return, so he could see what the darks next move was.

When Severus arrived at Grimmauld Place most people were already in attendance, and although Dumbledore tried to speak to him in private it was impossible for them to talk with so many people around. All Severus could do was give the headmaster a rueful shake of his head, and watch as the old man paled and worriedly nibbled at his lower lip. No doubt he was worrying just what Severus was going to say, but he couldn't exactly ask about Hermione without giving the game away.

"Let's have some quiet," Dumbledore called as people settled around the large table in the kitchen. Within five minutes the room was silent and all eyes were on the leader of the Order. "Severus, do you have some news for us."

"I do, but it's not good," Severus replied. "As requested, I went to Malfoy Manor yesterday and found that The Dark Lord is away for a couple of days."

"Surely that's good news," Harry argued. "It means we have an opportunity to get into the manor when he's not there."

"Even without The Dark Lord, you've still got to get through some serious defensive wards," Severus pointed out. "Not to mention Lucius, Narcissa and Draco."

Severus noticed the way several people shivered at the mere mention of Draco's name. In the short time he'd been a Death Eater, the young blond wizard had forged a ferocious reputation for himself and almost everyone sitting around the table knew he wasn't to be taken lightly. In fact these days, he would be considered more of a threat than his father, and Lucius wasn't exactly the sort of wizard you trifled with.

"What is the situation with Remus and Tonks?" Dumbledore asked. "That's what we need to focus on. Are they at the manor?"

"Yes," Severus answered with a nod of his head. "I didn't see either of them, but Lucius said he had prisoners in the dungeons. Not that he'd seen them either. They'd just been deposited in the dungeons upon their capture."

"Which is just what we expected," Sirius said, sounding impatient. "How is any of this bad news? Or rather how is it worse than we feared?"

"The Dark Lord knew about this attack before he left," Severus said. "Lucius said it was organised by the Lestrange brothers, and they knew they would be bringing back prisoners. Before you ask, I don't know how they knew where to find them," he said, pre-empting the question he could see Sirius was about to throw at him. "Lucius didn't mention anything like that, and I couldn't ask without seeming suspicious. I do have a cover to maintain, and now the Malfoys are no longer neutral, Lucius is trusted by The Dark Lord so I have to be careful around him."

"No-one is questioning you need to keep up your cover," Dumbledore assured his Potions Professor. "We understand that there's some things you just can't ask. But is that all you know?"

"I know one more thing," Severus said slowly, deliberately building up the sense of dread in the room. "Not only did The Dark Lord expect prisoners, but he left word to hand them over to Draco."

"Shit," Ron swore, absent-mindedly rubbing at his aching leg as he often did whenever Draco was mentioned, as it was his fault that it would never be the same again.

"Malfoy's got Tonks and Remus, is that what you're saying?" Harry demanded as a cold feeling settled itself in the pit of his stomach. Of everything that could have happened to the pair, to be handed over to Draco was the worst possible outcome.

"He hadn't been down to the dungeons when I was at the manor yesterday, but he was preparing to pay the prisoners a visit," Severus answered. "I honestly don't see either of them surviving their encounter with him, not these days."

"He does seem to have embraced the dark in a way I've never seen before," Dumbledore agreed with a sad sigh. Even though he'd always had his doubts about Draco, even he was stunned by how evil the young wizard had turned out to be, and how quickly he'd developed such a brutal reputation.

"So what you're saying is that they're doomed?" Sirius demanded, rising to his feet and banging his fist on the table.

"I don't want it to be the case, but I think we have to face facts," Dumbledore said. "Any attempt to storm Malfoy Manor is going to take time to prepare. Time that neither Tonks nor Remus have, I'm afraid. We need to accept that we might not be able to help our friends and prepare for the worst. We need to talk to Andromeda and Ted, and make sure they've got our support if the worst should happen."

As talk turned to how best to support Ted and Andromeda Tonks, Severus tuned out and waited to see if he was needed any more. Unsurprisingly, he wasn't called upon for the rest of the meeting, and when he left, he wondered if Dumbledore's inner circle would have a private meeting to discuss Hermione. Surely they realised that their secret was about to be exposed. Even though they knew nothing of Hermione and Draco's relationship, they must realise that the second Hermione was spotted at the manor, the game was up.

* * *

As Severus had suspected, within an hour of the full scale meeting breaking up, those who knew about Hermione was having yet another private meeting. The previous day they'd all harboured hopes of keeping their secret regarding Hermione, however those hopes had been dashed by the news Snape had brought back from the manor. Now everyone knew it was just a matter of time before their secret somehow came to light.

"How do we manage this?" Molly demanded. "What do we tell people?"

"As I see it, we've got two options," Dumbledore said. "Number one, we call another Order meeting and try and explain our position. Number two, we keep quiet and hope that whatever happens at the manor doesn't become public knowledge."

"You think the dark are going to keep quiet about being in possession of a witch the world believes is dead?" Sirius questioned with an unamused snort.

"Depending on what happens, they might not feel the need to take it public," Dumbledore said. "For all they know, Hermione could have been part of the plot to fake her own death and go into hiding."

"She'll put them straight on that score," Ron pointed out.

"But who would listen to her?" Dumbledore questioned. "She's not going to be in a position where she can tell her story. She's as much of a prisoner as Remus and Tonks. Given that Voldemort was trying to get to her, she'll likely not be killed and instead be used as leverage to get hold of Harry."

"Even so, the rest of the Order are going to find out she's alive," Molly argued.

"Not necessarily," Dumbledore said, shaking his head. "It all depends on how the dark play things. Personally, I say we keep quiet and wait and see what happens. There is still a good chance that no-one else needs to know what happened with Hermione at this point in time."

"But if we do keep quiet and the truth comes out, we're going to lose the trust of a lot of people," Harry said thoughtfully, immediately thinking of Ginny and how she would react if she discovered that not only was Hermione alive, but that he and Ron had known all along and had let her grieve.

"And if we tell people and the dark don't make any public moves, we'll have blackened our names for nothing," Dumbledore countered. "We could turn people against us, and right now, we can't afford to do that. We need all the support we can get if we seriously want to defeat Voldemort once and for all. I propose we keep quiet until it's absolutely necessary to reveal that Hermione is still alive."

"And in the meantime, are we going to try and save her?" Harry demanded.

"Yes, we're not going to give up," Dumbledore said. "With any luck, Remus and Tonks might be able to hold on until we can muster a rescue. But even if they don't, we still need to try and save Hermione. So are we all agreed, we keep quiet and hope for the best?"

"I think it's all we can really do," Sirius said with a sigh as Harry, Ron and Molly all gave their agreement.

"Arthur?" Dumbledore asked, aware that the Weasley patriarch had yet again remained silent, with a look of distaste on his face.

"I won't say anything," Arthur said, prompted by a sharp dig from his wife's elbow in his ribs.

"But you're not happy," Dumbledore deduced.

"No, I'm not happy," Arthur said honestly. "But I haven't been happy with this plan for a long time. What we did was wrong, and my gut tells me that we're all about to pay a horrible price for what we did to that poor girl."

Rising to his feet, Arthur left Grimmauld Place, his ominous words ringing in the ears of his co-conspirators.

* * *

While the Order were worrying just what was going to happen once the dark realised she was alive, Hermione was enjoying an emotional reunion with her parents. Lucius had sorted out a safe haven for her parents the same day he'd mentioned the idea, and although Hermione had seen her parents once they were in their safe house, it had been a brief visit and she was now back again to spend some real time with them.

"I can still hardly believe you're here," Hermione's mother, Jean, said weepily as she clung to her daughter.

"I'm here," Hermione replied, not at all minding being held by her mother.

Since they'd been reunited, there had been a lot of tears from the Granger family. All three had shed bucket loads as they were reunited and their separation was ended. Hermione could see the toll her 'death' had taken on her parents, and it made her hate Dumbledore and the others even more. She just couldn't believe that anyone would put her parents through such awful, and unnecessary, pain. To treat another person like that was just despicable, and more than ever Hermione wanted her revenge on the people who had caused her parents so much suffering.

"I still say you should stay with us," Richard Granger said to his daughter. He was more than happy to be hidden away after what had happened to his daughter, but he would be even happier if she was with them.

"I've explained that Dad, I need to stay with Draco," Hermione replied. Her parents hadn't yet met her boyfriend, but thankfully she'd told them about him before her apparent death, so they hadn't been too shocked when Hermione mentioned him.

"And you're sure he'll look after you?" Jean checked.

"He will," Hermione replied with a nod. "Just like his father is looking after you and Dad. There's a part of me that wants nothing more than to stay here with you, but my place is in the wizarding world."

"Even though the people you trusted in that world faked your death?" Richard snorted.

"I'm not with those people any more," Hermione said, working hard to keep the hard edge out of her voice as she didn't want her parents to know just how strong her feelings of hate were towards her former friends and everyone else involved in the plot to fake her death. "I need to stay and make sure they're all held accountable for their actions. I can't just let what they did to me pass."

"Of course you can't," Jean said sympathetically. "Just don't let the hatred win, Hermione. Don't get me wrong, I hate every single person who helped steal you away from us, but I don't want them to have the final laugh. Sometimes the best revenge is moving on and living a happy life without them."

"And that is what I intend to do," Hermione replied, not bothering to mention to her parents that by that time most of the people behind her fake death would be dead. "But I want the whole world to know what they did to me. We weren't the only ones who were affected by their actions. Other people still think I'm dead, and without sounding big-headed, I would like to think that more people than Harry and Ron mourned for me."

"I'm sure you had a lot of friends, who are still grieveing for you," Richard said. "And you're right, you need to expose these liars for the scum bags they are. You go and get your justice, Hermione. We'll be right here waiting for you."

"I promise to visit as often as I can," Hermione vowed. She really hoped that once things got going she was able to visit her parents, but she also knew she would have to be able to do so without letting on just how dark her methods of revenge had become.

Dropping the subject of revenge, Hermione just enjoyed her parents company for another couple of hours, before she headed back through the secure floo connection to the manor. Back at the manor she headed for Draco's wing of the manor, only to find her boyfriend pacing the bedroom floor.

"What's wrong?" she asked, worried that he'd changed his mind and was going to tell her that he couldn't betray Voldemort and work with her to kill him.

"The Dark Lord's back," Draco said in a quiet voice.

"Does he know about me?" Hermione asked, suddenly nervous about what was to come.

"Not yet," Draco replied. "But he soon will. Come on, it's time to go and face the music."

Gulping in a deep breath, Hermione took hold of Draco's hand and followed her boyfriend from the safety of his room. It was the moment of truth, the moment they would discover just how much Voldemort thought of Draco, and just how much slack he was willing to cut him. It was also where they were going to find out if the plans they'd been working on were going to work, or if it had all been in vain and once again they were going to find themselves torn apart and separated against their will.


	6. Chapter 6

Draco stopped outside of the door leading to the living room, taking a few minutes to compose himself. Usually he didn't have to bother composing himself before he faced Voldemort, but in the last forty-eight hours everything had changed for him, and his ice cold armour was no longer rock solid. After months of suppressing his emotions, Hermione had reawakened a part of him he'd thought had died with her, and all of a sudden he wasn't sure he could fool The Dark Lord into believing he was still as dark and dangerous as ever.

"Are you nervous?" Hermione whispered.

"Just a bit," Draco replied with a rueful smile. "If I mess up now, we could both end up dead."

"Then don't mess up," Hermione ordered sternly. "Just think about what Dumbledore and his cronies put us through. Focus on our revenge, Draco. We need your darkness if we're to get revenge and survive the next few months."

Draco nodded, knowing that Hermione was right. Pushing down the emotion he felt just being in Hermione's presence, he forced himself to think about everything they'd gone through in the last few months. Just thinking about recent events was enough to light the simmering rage that had been burning in him since Hermione's faked death, and he was confident he was ready to face Voldemort.

"Stay here until I come and get you," Draco ordered his girlfriend, his grey eyes emotionless as he prepared to face Voldemort. "I think it'll be better if I spoke to him myself, before I bring you into the room."

"I'll be right here," Hermione said, leaning against the wall outside of the room.

"I'll not be long," Draco reassured his girlfriend, before he pushed open the door and entered the room. From where Hermione was standing, she couldn't see into the room but she could hear everything.

"Ah Draco," Voldemort said jovially. "I take it your trip was successful."

"It was," Draco replied, his voice ice cold and completely emotionless. "Was yours?"

"Of course," Voldemort answered. "And what about since you've been back? Have you visited our prisoners yet? I was just about to ask your father about how the raid went."

"I was down in the dungeons yesterday," Draco answered, not mentioning that he'd yet to lay a hand on either of the prisoners.

"Have you worked out what was going on?" Bellatrix Lestrange asked eagerly. His aunt was sitting next to Voldemort, and Draco knew whatever they'd been doing, they'd been together. "Do you know who the mystery prisoner was?"

"Yes, we know who their prisoner was," Lucius answered. "I thought she would have been with you, Draco."

"She's outside," Draco answered.

"You have the Order's prisoner outside of the room?" Voldemort questioned with a frown. "Is that safe?"

"Perfectly," Draco replied. "Would you like to meet her?"

"I would," Voldemort said with a nod.

Walking over to the doorway, Draco reached out into the corridor, and flashing his girlfriend a reassuring smile, he took hold of her hand and led her into the front room. "Let me introduce the Order's prisoner, Hermione Granger."

"The Granger girl is dead, I read it in the papers," Bellatrix snorted, looking at the girl whose hand Draco was holding tightly. She couldn't say she'd really recognised her, but then again she had little interest in the friends of Harry Potter, especially the dead ones.

"That's what the Order wanted everyone to think," Draco said. "But as you can see, Hermione is very much alive."

"Why would the Order fake your death?" Voldemort asked, addressing Hermione as he gave her a scrutinising look. He was rather shocked to see the muggleborn witch that Draco loved, and he had to wonder how her return would affect his best Death Eater.

"Because of you," Hermione replied, keeping her head held high and keeping her fear locked away. Even though she and Draco hadn't had a chance to really talk about meeting Voldemort, she knew that things would run smother if she could pretend not to be scared.

"Me?" Voldemort laughed. "Why would I be the reason they faked your death. I'm sorry to have to burst your bubble, but you're pretty insignificant to me."

"I'm sure I am," Hermione said with a shrug. "But that's not what the Order thought. A few months before my supposed death, there was a battle and you and Harry were fighting. Apparently you warned Harry to keep an eye on me as you were coming to get me."

Voldemort frowned, not remembering the incident at all. "I have no recollection of such an event."

"I didn't think you would have," Hermione replied with sigh. "At the time, I told Harry and the Order that you were just trying to distract Harry. I pointed out that you wouldn't even know who I was, but they wouldn't believe me. They were convinced they had to protect me, and they thought if they faked my death you would stop coming after me."

"That's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard," Bellatrix snorted derisively.

"It does defy logic," Voldemort agreed. "You're right, I can't remember the incident, but it is something I would say to distract an opponent."

"As fascinating, and confusing, as this is, can I ask why the mudblood is out of the dungeon?" Bellatrix questioned, throwing a sneer Hermione's way. "Do we care why the Order faked her death?"

"Don't call her a mudblood," Draco growled at his aunt. "If I hear anyone speaking like that about Hermione, then they'll have me to answer to."

"You love her," Bellatrix whispered, staring at Draco in shock. After a few minutes, she turned to look at everyone else and found they didn't look surprised by the revelation. "You all knew?"

"It was why he came to me," Voldemort told his lover. "Draco thought I would kill him if he told me he loved a muggleborn."

"Why didn't you?" Bellatrix questioned.

"He was too good to waste," Voldemort answered with a casual shrug. "Finally I could see his dark side emerging, and I wasn't going to waste the opportunity to explore that. I gave him the mark and let his grief channel his darkness."

"But what happens now she's back?" Bellatrix asked. "Just looking at Draco you can see he's gone soft."

"Do you want to see how soft, I've gone, Aunt Bella?" Draco snapped, taking a threatening step towards his aunt.

"Enough," Hermione called, yanking Draco back towards her. "I don't want to cause problems."

"Then what do you want?" Voldemort questioned. There was no denying the darkness was still in Draco, but it was equally clear that his love for Hermione was as strong, if not stronger, than ever.

"Revenge," Hermione answered in a strong, firm voice. "I want to help you bring down the Order."

"As if," Bellatrix cackled. "They're your friends, you wouldn't turn on them."

"My so called friends faked my death. They let people I love think I was dead," Hermione answered sharply. "They let my parents grieve for me. They're not my friends, not any more."

"Vengeance, I like it," Voldemort chuckled. He wasn't overly keen on Hermione's blood status, but he could admit that she could come in handy. Not only would he be able to keep Draco onside, but she would have information even Severus didn't have access to.

"Although Bellatrix was right to question if I could turn against the entire Order," Hermione warned. "I want my revenge on the people involved in faking my death. I want no part in destroying innocent people."

"You're trying to dictate terms now?" Voldemort questioned, rather amused by the girl's boldness. "Maybe you don't know this Miss Granger, but I'm not someone to trifle with."

"I'm well aware of that," Hermione said. "But I also know you're a smart wizard, and even you can see the benefit of not killing unnecessary people. The only people you want to destroy are Dumbledore and Harry, and both of them were instrumental in the plot to fake my death. I can help you bring them both down."

"Yet the others will still fight," Voldemort pointed out. "Even if we take out everyone who faked your death, the Order will continue to fight."

"Not if we break the Order first," Draco said.

"And how do you suggest we do that?" Bellatrix asked her nephew.

"We very publically reveal what happened to Hermione," Draco answered. "We name and shame those who played a part in faking her death."

"And this will tear the Order apart?" Voldemort asked sceptically.

"Yes," Hermione answered with a nod. "I can guarantee you, the majority of the Order will be so disgusted with what Dumbledore and the others have done, they'll wash their hands of them."

"Severus thinks it will work," Draco added.

"You've already spoken to Severus?" Voldemort asked, his annoyance plain for everyone to hear.

"He called around yesterday, sent by Dumbledore to get some answers about the prisoners," Lucius explained, quickly filling Voldemort in on what they'd decided to tell Dumbledore.

"And those who know about my death are keeping it quiet," Hermione pointed out. "They don't want the truth coming out."

"Okay, I'm happy to go along with your plan," Voldemort said with a slow nod of his head. "But I will not be making any guarantees on sparing people's lives. Anyone who fights me, will die. Is that understood?"

"Yes," Hermione whispered. With any luck, Severus would be able to form their secret society and she could ensure that those who were part of it didn't fight at the wrong time, and therefore wouldn't be killed.

"So, do this mean you're going to pledge your allegiance to us?" Bellatrix asked Hermione.

"She's not taking the mark," Draco answered, his stern glare challenging anyone to argue with him. "Hermione is to be left alone. She'll help us bring down the Order, but no-one is going to force her into doing anything she's not comfortable with."

"That's really not your call, Draco," Voldemort said mildly. He'd already decided not to press the issue of having Hermione take the mark, as he hadn't quite decided if he was going to allow her to stay around in the long term.

"Do you want to argue, My Lord?" Draco asked, his voice dripping with venom and his entire being radiating danger.

Voldemort studied Draco for several minutes, before letting out a cold cackle. "You have my word that no harm will come to Miss Granger providing your loyalty still lies with me."

"It does," Draco reassured Voldemort. "I'm a Death Eater, and nothing will change that."

"Good," Voldemort said. "Now, you and Miss Granger can sit down. I'd like to know everything she can tell me about the Order."

"What do you want to know?" Hermione asked as she and Draco sat down on the empty sofa in the room.

"Everything," Voldemort replied in a low voice. "Especially the things Severus can't help me with. I know Dumbledore trusts him, but Potter certainly doesn't."

"No, he doesn't," Hermione agreed. "And Harry's opinion is starting to carry more weight with Dumbledore. Before long, Snape won't be able to tell you anything. He certainly couldn't tell you that Dumbledore and Harry are on the trail of your Horcruxes."

"Yes, I rather suspected they were," Voldemort said with a chuckle. "But you needn't worry, they'll never get their hands on them all."

"They've done pretty well so far," Hermione countered. "All they need is a silver cup and your snake. Until they destroy them, or think they've destroyed them, it's going to be hard to get Harry to face you in battle."

"What are you suggesting, that I let them destroy my Horcruxes?" Voldemort questioned, glaring at Hermione.

"I don't know, I'm just saying that until they've destroyed them they know you can't be killed. I can't see either Dumbledore or Harry risking themselves in a battle with you, knowing that they can't win," Hermione said. "Of course we could try and get to them another way."

"We can think of something," Voldemort said, waving a dismissive hand to change the subject. Even though he'd been fairly sure the Order were destroying his Horcruxes, it was still unnerving to have it confirmed. "I'm now convinced you can be trusted, Miss Granger. Let's press ahead with your initial plan of breaking up the Order. Lucius, can you arrange for Miss Granger to speak to the press. I want to make a big splash with this announcement."

"I can sort that no problem," Lucius said with a nod.

"And what about actually taking our revenge?" Draco asked. "I want to do more than just discredit them. And I want to do more than just take out Dumbledore and Potter."

"I assume the prisoners knew of your ordeal?" Voldemort asked Hermione.

"Yes, they were guarding me," Hermione answered.

"In that case Draco, the prisoners are yours to do with as you wish," Voldemort said generously. "That should keep your blood-thirst at bay for the time being. As for the others, we can deal with them once we've alienated them from their support network. Welcome to the team, Miss Granger. I think you're going to be a real asset to us."

When Voldemort gave her a creepy smile, Hermione had to fight the shudder that threatened to run down her spine. Instead, she managed to give him a polite nod and thank him for allowing her to live. With a low chuckle, Voldemort announced he would be back soon, before taking off with Bellatrix in tow.

Once Voldemort and his lover were gone, Draco questioned Hermione about Horcruxes and she explained to the Malfoys about the dark magic that was keeping Voldemort alive. She explained that they needed to destroy these Horcruxes before they could kill him, and they would have to do it without him having any idea what they were up to.

"It sound impossible to me," Narcissa said, biting her lower lip nervously. She'd been silent throughout the entire exchange with Voldemort as she'd been terrified he was going to do something to Draco for daring to bring Hermione into his presence.

"Actually, I think it's going to be rather easy," Draco replied with a smirk.

Draco didn't know for sure, but it sounded like Voldemort had been making new Horcruxes, along with the silver cup he'd hidden months ago. And it just so happened that he'd happened to entrust them into the safe keeping of the one person who had the desire to want to kill him. Unknowingly, Voldemort had placed his fate in the hands of the one Death Eater who would betray him without a second thought now he was reunited with the witch he loved.


	7. Chapter 7

Once Voldemort had given his permission for Hermione to go public with her return and hopefully tear the Order apart, Lucius jumped into action and arranged a meeting for Hermione with a journalist he trusted to tell the story exactly how they wanted. Draco had offered to be present when Hermione spoke to the journalist, but she declined as she didn't want the journalist to get wind of his anger. As it was she had to work hard to hide her own anger and instead only let the journalist see the hurt she'd suffered at the hands of her so-called friends.

"How do you think it went?" she asked Lucius directly after the meeting. While she'd declined Draco's offer to be by her side, she hadn't wanted to be alone, so Lucius had been present throughout her interview.

"I think it was perfect," Lucius replied. "You kept control of your anger very well, but yet managed to convey how heartbroken you are at the betrayal you've suffered."

"That's because I am heartbroken," Hermione confessed. She may have been consumed by the need to wreak vengeance on everyone who had faked her death, but that didn't mean she wasn't still struggling to come to terms with what they'd done to her in the first place.

"It'll ease once you start to gain your vengeance," Lucius predicated. "Unless of course you're having second thoughts."

"You don't think I'm capable of going through with this, do you?" Hermione asked her boyfriend's father. "You think I'm too weak to seek vengeance."

"I most certainly don't think that you're weak," Lucius protested. "Many people wouldn't have coped with what you've been through these last few months."

"But you still have your doubts about me," Hermione pressed.

"Yes, I have my doubts over whether you can go through with your plan when it comes down to it," Lucius admitted. "It's one thing to plan revenge, but another to follow through. Especially when it involved dealing with people you once cared about. It's not always easy to turn old emotions off."

"The thing is Lucius, my old emotions have already been turned off," Hermione said in a low, dangerous sounding voice. "My old feelings were destroyed by my friends. I already hate them, now I want to see them pay for their actions."

"I don't deny your convictions, but it takes a certain sort of person to be able to give into the darkness and survive," Lucius warned. "Are you really ready for what lies ahead if you take the path of vengeance?"

"I'm as ready as I'll ever be," Hermione replied. "And I guess only time will tell if I can live with what I'm about to do."

"Let's hope you can live with it, for all our sakes," Lucius said quietly.

Leaving Lucius to hope that she could indeed live with the path she'd chosen, Hermione headed to Draco's wing of the manor in search of her boyfriend. She found Draco pacing the floor in the library, and the first thing he asked was how the interview went.

"I think it went well," Hermione replied, sinking into one of the chairs in front of the roaring fire. "I focused on my hurt and betrayal at the hands of people I loved and trusted. With any luck it will prove to be a heart wrenching story."

"But not anger filled?" Draco checked. He knew why Hermione hadn't wanted him at her side during the interview, and he couldn't really blame her. He couldn't hide his anger at what the Order had done to her, and the last thing they wanted was for their anger to be made public when they were about to wreak a terrible vengeance on the Order.

"No, not anger filled," Hermione replied. "I hid my thirst for revenge."

"And are you still thirsty for revenge?" Draco asked, perching on the chair opposite his girlfriend. "You seem a bit hesitant today."

"I'm not hesitant, it's just the interview today has brought everything into focus," Hermione replied. "Just a few days ago, I was trapped with the Order, never knowing if I would see you or my parents again. Now here we are reunited, and nothing is the same."

"You mean I'm not the same," Draco said quietly. He wished he could just flick a switch and go back to the wizard Hermione had fallen in love with, but too much had happened and he was a different person now.

"You're not," Hermione agreed, choosing not to lie to Draco. "But neither am I. The Order have changed both of us, and not necessarily for the good."

"What are you saying Hermione? That you want out?" Draco asked. "Because if you do, I can protect you. I can ensure that you're safe from The Dark Lord. I can make sure you have a good life away from all of the danger. I can get you and your parents to safety within twenty four hours."

"I'm not going anywhere, Draco," Hermione insisted, reaching out to her boyfriend and taking his hand in hers. "My heart and loyalty lies with you, and that hasn't changed. But you have to admit, all this is happening at a lighting speed."

"It is," Draco agreed with a nod. To be honest he was still wrapping his head around having Hermione back, and it wasn't the first time he'd woken up in the night just to check he hadn't been dreaming and that Hermione was truly back in his arms.

"I think it'll be easier once we start our revenge," Hermione said. "Because the sooner we can destroy the Order, the sooner we can focus on getting rid of Voldemort. I know you said it was going to be easy, but it's not."

"Actually it is," Draco replied. "I'm still not totally sure about all the details of these Horcruxes you mentioned, but I do know how to get my hands on them."

"The snake one is obvious," Hermione conceded. "But are you saying you know where the cup is?"

"I do," Draco answered with a nod. "One of the first things he had me to do, was accompany my aunt to her vault, where she removed a silver cup and gave it to me to hide. I am now the only person who knows where that cup is hidden."

"Wow, that is some stroke of luck," Hermione remarked with a low whistle. "In that case it should be simple to destroy the cup and snake. I guess it'll then be harder to take him out, but I'm sure if we go with Severus's plan and assemble a new group of fighters we can manage it."

"Actually, I think we're going to need to get rid of more than a cup," Draco admitted. "The cup wasn't the only thing I've hidden for him over the last few months."

"You've hidden other Horcruxes for him?" Hermione asked with a frown. "But I thought they were being destroyed by the Order?"

"A few times he's sent me on a mission to locate certain objects, usually an item connected to a family who had connections with Salazar Slytherin," Draco explained. "Once I'd located the item, he would turn up and take it off my hands for a few days. He would then return with the item and have me hide it."

"He's making new Horcruxes," Hermione said, biting her lower lip as her mind ran over what Draco was telling her. "We're just going to have to hope that you're the only one he's trusting with hiding them. If he's entrusted someone else to help him then we're totally screwed."

"Let's not think the worst," Draco said. "Besides, I don't think he would trust anyone else with something as important."

"Then why trust you?" Hermione demanded. "No offence Draco, but you haven't even been in his service for a year. Why trust you with something so important?"

"I don't think you quite realise just how disenchanted I'd become with life," Draco answered with a bitter bark of humourless laughter. "I didn't care what he was asking me to do. I wasn't curious and I didn't ask questions. He also knew that I had a death wish, and he knew that if I'd succeeded in getting myself killed, his secrets would die with me. I guess the trick now is keeping him on side so he doesn't realise I'm a danger to him."

"That is going to be hard," Hermione agreed with a nod.

"Actually, it's not if we press on with the plan," Draco said. "We need to show him that I'm still the same cold, heartless person your death turned me into."

"But you're not," Hermione argued. "I know you're not the same as the Draco I left in school, but you're not a heartless monster. I doubt you ever were, it was merely how you dealt with the pain of losing me. But now I'm back, and even with the darkness in you, there's a light in your soul again."

"Not when it comes to dealing with the people who faked your death," Draco growled. "Believe me Hermione, it won't be hard to channel my darkness while dealing with them, and that is what is going to keep The Dark Lord off our backs. You've just got to trust me to give into the darkness and still return to you at the end of the day."

"I trust you," Hermione said with a small smile. "And I think it's time I showed you how much. Let's go and deal with Tonks and Lupin."

"Are you sure?" Draco asked. "Because, it won't be pretty. They're in the unfortunate position of being the first people involved in taking you away from me that I've managed to get my hands on. They are going to suffer."

"Then they should have thought about that before they went along with the plan to kidnap me and fake my death," Hermione said, steeling herself for what lay ahead. She knew the next few hours really would be the strongest test of her desire to have revenge on the Order, and it would prove once and for all if she could still love Draco once she'd seen the true depth of his darkness.

* * *

It was impossible to keep track of time down in the dungeons of Malfoy Manor, so Tonks and Lupin had no idea how long they'd been held captive. They did know they'd only been held a few hours before Hermione had left with Lucius and they'd realised the depth of the trouble they were in. However, they had no idea how long it had been before Hermione had returned with Draco by her side, nor did they know how long it had been since the pair had visited them. All they did know was that their time was limited and sooner rather than later Draco would be returning and they would pay the price of helping fake Hermione's death.

"Maybe they'll leave us here so long we'll starve to death," Lupin suggested with a weak laugh. Since their incarceration an elf had provided them with water and a little food, but it wasn't anywhere near enough for them to keep their strength up. Already they were feeling weak with the lack of food.

"I don't think they're that merciful," Tonks replied. "At least Draco isn't, not any more."

"You think he was once merciful?" Lupin asked.

"I've never known him, but the very fact Hermione got involved with him proves he wasn't always this dark," Tonks said. "I hate to say this, but I think we helped push him into the darkness."

"I have to agree," Lupin said with a sigh. "I never liked him, but I never thought he was evil. He was an insufferable git when I was teaching at Hogwarts, but I always saw a glimmer of a good boy inside him. Given the choice, I don't think he would have chosen the dark, especially not if he had motivation like Hermione to stay away from the Dark Arts."

"But we took Hermione away from him and sent him spiralling into despair," Tonks finished. "Do you think it's possible to reach the goodness in him now he's got Hermione back? I know he was furious when we last visited, but maybe time had mellowed him. Maybe Hermione has reignited the goodness in his heart."

Lupin snorted in response, but before he got the chance to voice his own opinions the cell door began to open. Lurching to their feet, Tonks and Lupin stood side by side drawing comfort from her each others presence as they waited to see who was visiting them, and why. When Draco stepped into the room it was no great surprise to the pair, nor were they shocked to see Hermione behind her boyfriend.

"So this is it," Lupin remarked. "You're here to kill us."

"Not straight away," Draco replied with a cold smirk. "First I intend to have some fun."

"Please Hermione, don't do this," Tonks pleaded as the brunette witch closed the cell door once she and Draco were inside the dungeon walls. "We know you hate us, and we can even understand why you would want to kill us, but don't do it in this way. There's a difference between killing us with the killing curse, and torturing us first. Show some humanity."

"And where was your humanity when you faked my death and let people I love grieve for me?" Hermione asked. "Even if I could get past what you did to me, I can't get past what you did to other people, innocent people. What had my parents ever done to deserve the sort of pain you put them through?"

"We're sorry," Tonks whispered. "But please don't let this incident taint your good heart. You can't go back from something like this, Hermione. If you do this, you've let the darkness win."

"I'm not going to do anything," Hermione said as she settled herself against the far wall. "I'm merely here to observe the action."

"I'm the one you should be pleading with," Draco said. "But I'm warning you now, it'll do you no good. You know what sort of reputation I have."

"Yes, you walked over Ron's leg, breaking it in such a way he now has a permanent limp," Lupin spat, hoping that detailing Draco's callous behaviour would shock Hermione into seeing sense. "And you killed Percy. You threw him into a wall. I also heard you left one of your fellow Death Eaters injured and possibly dying. You didn't help him, you just walked over him and carried on with your day."

"Marcus recovered," Draco replied with a flippant shrug of his shoulders. "As for the Weasleys, they shouldn't be fighting if they can't handle the consequences. Although I do regret breaking the Weasel's leg."

"You do?" Hermione questioned in confusion. Nothing Lupin was saying was news to her as Draco had gradually been telling her everything he'd done as a Death Eater.

"I do," Draco confirmed with a nod. "But only because he deserves so much more. If I'd only knew then what I know now, he would have died a painful death. But he's got that to look forward to, right now I've got two other people to focus on."

Pulling out his wand, Draco flicked it in Tonks direction and the shackles around her wrists and ankles contracted and pinned her to the wall, her hands above her head. He then did the same with Lupin so that his two prisoners couldn't move at all. Then for a final flourish he magically removed Lupin's shirt, revealing his skinny torso, and pulled a silver knife from his pocket.

"Whatever you do to me, I won't scream," Lupin vowed.

"That's quite a promise," Draco remarked as he advanced on the werewolf. "Let's see how long you last, shall we?"

With a malicious grin, Draco placed the knife above Lupin's heart and scratched a deep nick along his chest. From her position across the room, Hermione could see that the cut hurt Lupin, but she had to commend his bravery. As promised, he didn't scream, but Hermione could see how much pain he was in. Obviously the rumours were true, and silver hurt werewolves even if they weren't in their wolf form.

Draco was also aware of the fact Lupin was hurting, and he kept creating small but deep cuts on the werewolf's chest. Still Lupin refused to scream, so Draco continued on with the torture. After a few minutes blood was seeping from the wounds on Lupin's chest, and his lower lip was also bleeding from where he'd been biting down on it to stop his screams of pain.

"Tough little sod," Draco remarked as he took a step back. "I have to admit Professor, I didn't expect this from you. I always had you down as a weak man."

"I'm stronger than you," Lupin spat.

"Maybe when it comes to your pain, but what about hers?" Draco asked, turning to Tonks who had silent tears running down her face as she'd witnessed Lupin's suffering.

"Don't you dare touch her," Lupin yelled. "Be a man, Draco. Real men don't torture women."

"She should have thought of that before she helped take Hermione from me," Draco replied with a cold glance over at Lupin. "Don't worry, I won't hurt her the way I did you. I have no intention of raising my hand to a woman."

"Just your wand," Tonks sneered. "Are you proud of him, Hermione? Is this really the man you love?"

"It is," Hermione replied steadily, her gaze locking with Draco's as she gave him an encouraging nod. She was aware that there would have been a time that seeing him acting so cold and dark would have repulsed her, but she'd changed and instead of being repulsed by his actions, she was totally behind everything he was about to do.

"Crucio!" Draco spat, sending the spell hurtling towards Tonks.

Like Lupin, Tonks bit her lower lip to stop herself from crying out in pain but the intensity of the curse quickly became too much for her and small whimpers began to leak out of her mouth. At the sounds, Draco increased the intensity of the curse, which in turn caused Tonks to cry out in agony. The more Tonks cried out the more distressed Lupin got and eventually he broke and began to cry himself.

"Please stop," he begged. "Do what you want to me, but don't hurt her."

At the plea, Draco released the spell and not even bothering to acknowledge the slumping of Tonks's body as she tried to recover from the curse, he turned back to Lupin. Returning to the silver knife, he plunged it straight into Lupin's upper arm. Lupin's shocked cry echoed around the room and Draco let out a grunt of satisfaction when he pulled the knife out of the werewolf and Lupin howled louder as blood began to spurt from the wound.

"If you're not careful he could bleed out," Hermione called.

"We wouldn't want that now, would we," Draco chuckled, magically healing the wound enough to stop the main flow of bleeding.

Once again casting aside the knife, Draco raised his wand and blasted Lupin with the Cruciatius curse. Since he was already in pain, it didn't take much to get him screaming in agony and writhing in pain. As Draco increased the intensity of the curse, Lupin began to pull against his restraints and both Hermione and Draco winced at the sudden sound of popping bone as Lupin wrenched his left arm out of its socket.

"Ouch," Hermione muttered as Lupin's wails reached ear shattering proportions.

"Indeed," Draco agreed, although he didn't let up on the curse.

It was nearly five minutes before Draco finally lifted the curse and when he did, Lupin continued to cry and scream in agony. With Lupin suffering, Draco once again returned his attention to Tonks and blasted her with a second hit of Cruciatius curse. Unlike Lupin, Tonks didn't struggle enough to break any of her bones, but she did bite through her lip and tongue and she was sobbing uncontrollably by the time Draco lifted the curse.

"I really am sorry," Draco whispered to Tonks as he approached her and placed his wand against her neck. "But you really shouldn't have faked Hermione's death. This is payback. Avada Kedavra."

Tonks body went limp when the curse hit her, and when Draco turned back to Lupin, he found the werewolf had seen everything. Satisfied with the pain in the werewolf's eyes, Draco pointed his wand at him and with one spell he ended his pain for good. Taking a deep breath he then turned to Hermione, hoping that she wasn't going to reject him.

"I'm not going anywhere, Draco," Hermione said, reading the question in Draco's eyes. "I'm in this for the long haul, and this was just the beginning."

Draco sighed in relief, although he still couldn't let himself believe that Hermione was entirely comfortable with what she'd just witnessed. Still, she wasn't leaving him, and right now that was all he cared about. He knew he needed her in his life if he was ever to have a hope of living any sort of normal life without the darkness completely taking over.

"What happens now?" Hermione asked.

"I'll get father to have them moved to somewhere the Order can find them," Draco answered. "Between that and the papers, I think things are about to get very sticky for Dumbledore and your friends."

"And they deserve it," Hermione said softly, wishing she could be a fly on the wall when everything fell to pieces and Dumbledore and his cronies were exposed for the horrid people they were.


	8. Chapter 8

It was barely five o'clock in the morning when Molly and Arthur were awoken by the wards surrounding The Burrow being broken. Ever since Tonks and Remus had been taken the couple had been on high alert, and they were out of bed within seconds of the alerts on their wands beginning to sound. With Ginny still at school, Ron spending most of him time at Grimmauld Place with Harry, and the older boys all having left home, the couple were alone as they hastily threw on their dressing gowns and made their way downstairs.

"It doesn't look like a break-in," Arthur whispered to his wife as they saw the front door was still securely locked and everything else seemed to be fine as they made their way into the kitchen, where the back door was also locked.

"Is there anyone outside?" Molly asked, warily peering through the window beside the back door.

"Not that I can see," Arthur replied. "I'll go and check it out, you stay here, Molly. If there's any trouble, I'll shout and you make sure you get yourself to safety."

"Be careful," Molly urged her husband as he opened the back door and with his wand at the ready, crept outside to see who or what had breached their wards.

Standing at the back door, Molly was ready to flee at the first sign of trouble as Arthur checked everything was okay in the back garden before heading off around the house to check the front. It was a nervous few minutes wait after Arthur had disappeared around the corner and when she first heard her husband shout her name, Molly jumped and prepared to leave in a hurry. However, before she got a chance to leave, Arthur called her name again and shouted for her to join him. Knowing Arthur would never call her into a dangerous situation, Molly left the safety of the house and trotted in the same direction her husband had gone.

Molly found Arthur standing at the front corner of the house, but he stopped her before she could turn it and see whatever had him looking so pale and shaken.

"What's wrong?" Molly asked in a whisper, praying it wasn't any of the children.

"Remus and Tonks," Arthur replied in a small voice.

"They're back?" Molly asked eagerly, thinking they were hurt and had come to them for help.

"They've been left on our doorstep," Arthur informed his wife.

"How do you know they were left? They could have come here themselves," Molly argued.

"Dead people don't walk, Molly," Arthur said gently.

"Dead?" Tears pooled in Molly's eyes as her legs gave way beneath her and she slumped to the snow covered ground. "On our doorstep? Is it a warning?"

"Or it could be the darks way of making sure the Order know of their deaths," Arthur said as he hauled his wife back to her feet and wrapped her in his arms. "We need to inform Dumbledore and the others."

"And we need to bring Remus and Tonks inside," Molly said through chattering teeth. Her brief moment on the floor had left her chilled to the bone. "It's bitter out here."

"I'll do it, you go and floo Dumbledore," Arthur said, urging his wife to use the back-door so she wouldn't have to face the sight of her dead friends lying in front of their house.

Ten minutes later, Arthur had moved both Remus and Tonks into the house while Molly had contacted the heart of the Order. Dumbledore had arrived with Sirius, Harry and Ron in tow and they were all currently gathered in the kitchen, their faces white with shock.

"What does this mean for Hermione?" Harry asked. "Is she also dead?"

"If she was, surely she would have been with the others," Ron replied.

"Until we see a body, we have to assume Hermione is alive," Dumbledore insisted. "But as much as I hate to say it, today is not the day to worry about Hermione. We've lost two good people this morning. Not only do Ted and Andromeda need to be informed of their daughter's death, but the rest of the Order need to be brought up to speed. Molly, Arthur, can you gather everyone at head-quarters where I can make an announcement."

"What about the Ministry?" Arthur asked. "Shouldn't we inform them of their deaths? Tonks was an Auror, she's their employee. Surely they should be missing her by now anyway."

"Kingsley's been covering for her," Dumbledore said. "I didn't see the point in bringing them into matters when they were missing as we all know there's nothing they can do against Voldemort and his Death Eaters. We're in the best position to bring them down. But I will get in touch with the Minister and inform him of the situation this afternoon. But right now, I have to go and visit Ted and Andromeda. Harry, make sure Sirius gets back home."

"No, I'm not leaving Remus," Sirius replied with a stubborn shake of his head. He'd been in shock since he'd found out his best friend was dead, and it was the first time he'd spoken since arriving at The Burrow.

"It doesn't matter now, Sirius, he's gone," Harry said sadly, placing his hand on his godfather's arm. "Let's get back home for when everyone arrives."

It took both Harry and Dumbledore to convince Sirius to leave Remus with Tonks at The Burrow, but eventually he capitulated and went back to Grimmauld Place with Harry and Ron. With Dumbledore informing Tonks's parents of the situation, Molly and Arthur rallied the rest of the Order and most of them were gathered at Grimmauld Place by a little before seven. Although they hadn't been able to get in contact with everyone, including Kingsley, who was at work.

When Dumbledore returned he wasted no time in announcing the tragic turn of events. Even though it had been expected since the announcement that Tonks and Remus had been taken, it still hit the Order hard when it was revealed that they'd been killed. And not just quickly killed with a simple spell, there were signs of torture on both of them and it was clear they suffered before they died.

"Were they tortured for information?" McGonagall asked.

"More than likely they were tortured for fun by Malfoy," Ron spat hatefully. "We all know he killed them."

"We can't prove that, but it is likely," Dumbledore agreed, glancing at Severus for confirmation.

"I have no idea," Severus replied with a shrug to Dumbledore's unspoken question. "I told you what I knew, and that was Draco was preparing to visit the prisoners in the dungeons. As for what actually happened, I'm as clueless as the rest of you."

"More like you're bloody useless," Sirius snarled, more than happy to take his grief over Remus's death out as anger on the wizard he'd always despised.

"Arguing will not get us anywhere," Dumbledore interrupted before things got out of hand between the two men. "Let's take the next few days to mourn our losses. We may have lost Tonks and Remus, but the fight will carry on. They wouldn't want us to just give in. We have to continue the fight if we ever hope to defeat Voldemort and free the wizarding world from his dark presence."

With mumblings of agreement, conversation turned to how best to honour their two newest casualties. While the discussion about funeral arrangements and such was going on, a solemn looking Kingsley arrived clutching the morning's edition of The Daily Prophet, which no-one had seen as they'd all been busy with the deaths of Tonks and Remus. Initially it was thought his solemness was due to the fact he'd lost a friend and a work colleague in Tonks, but when sympathies were offered, it was clear he knew nothing of that morning's gruesome discoveries.

"I'm sorry to have to tell you Kingsley, but Tonks and Remus were found this morning," Dumbledore informed the Auror. "Their bodies were left at Molly and Arthur's house."

"We knew it was coming, but it's still a shock," Kingsley muttered as he all but collapsed into the empty chair beside McGonagall.

"Do you want a cup of tea, Kingsley?" Molly asked kindly. "It doesn't do much for the shock I'm afraid, but at least it's something."

"I think I'm going to need something stronger than tea," Kingsley replied sadly. "Especially with what else I've got to say."

"Don't tell me there's more bad news," McGonagall gasped, not sure how much more tragedy she could cope with. It seemed as though the last year had all been death and life threatening injuries and every day she awoke wondering who else she cared about would be hurt or taken from her.

"Read for yourself," Kingsley said, handing the paper over to McGonagall.

McGonagall opened the day's paper and let out a yelp of surprise at the large picture of Hermione Granger and the headline announcing that she alive and well. To be honest if she hadn't been sitting down she might have fallen down with the shock, and things only got worse once she scanned the article and discovered the true story behind the 'death' of her favourite student.

"No," McGonagall moaned as the reality of the article hit her like a ton of bricks. "This can't be true."

"What can't be true?" Molly asked. Leaning over McGonagall's shoulder she screamed at the sight of the headline and promptly fell to the floor in a faint.

Molly's reaction created a panic in the room, and things only got worse as the newspaper began to circulate the room and one by one everyone found out the truth about Hermione. Everyone shared McGonagall's disbelief and horror at the story, and more than a few people were angry at the betrayal of those who'd faked her death.

Fred and George were two who took the news the hardest, and once the shock had worn off, they lashed out at Harry and Ron. Both Fred and George were bigger than their brother and his best friend and they had them both pinned against the kitchen wall as they demanded answers.

"Tell us you didn't know," Fred seethed, shaking Ron so that his head banged off the kitchen wall. "Tell us you weren't a part of this."

"We were trying to protect her," Ron protested.

"Voldemort had threatened her," Harry shouted out. "Please just let us explain."

"Fred, George, put your brother and Harry down," Arthur scolded from where he was sitting beside Molly, who had been revived and was now staring blankly into space.

"And why should we listen to you?" George demanded, glaring at his parents. "You and Mum were in on this. The paper lists everyone involved."

"And you're going to believe a paper over your own family?" Ron asked, struggling to get away from Fred.

"Go on then, talk your way out of this one," Fred spat as he let go of Ron, causing him to fall to the floor when his bad leg failed to support him properly. "Explain to us all why you faked Hermione's death and kept her prisoner for months."

"Yeah, that should be a story and a half," George snorted, joining his twin in backing off and letting Harry and Ron talk.

Although in the end, it was Dumbledore who told the majority of their story. Harry and Ron added bits when they thought it was necessary, but on a whole they let Dumbledore tell their tale and spin their excuses. Not that the Order were impressed with the excuses and even when Dumbledore had confessed everything there was still an atmosphere of hatred and loathing in the air.

"That is not good enough," McGonagall said sternly, sounding as though she was addressing six misbehaving first years. "One throw away threat from Voldemort was not enough for to warrant you taking such extreme action. Did you even think of Hermione in all of this?"

"And what about the rest of us?" Fred demanded. "We thought our friend was dead. We mourned for her. And what about her poor parents."

"I hate to think what they've been going through," McGonagall gasped, tearing up at the thought of the Grangers believing their only child was dead.

"We're sorry for the hurt we've caused, and I wish there had been another way, but there wasn't. Hermione's life was in danger, and I don't regret trying to save her," Harry said stubbornly. "But that's not important now. What's important now is that the dark clearly have Hermione. We need to save her."

"No, you need to stay the hell away from her," George growled. "I think she made her feelings clear in the interview she gave. You lot are not to be trusted, and we're done."

"What do you mean, done?" Molly asked, snapping out of the trance she'd been in since she'd fainted.

"George means we're walking away," Fred clarified. "We want nothing to do with any of you involved in what Hermione went through. We're going to send an owl to Hermione and let her know how disgusted we are with your behaviour and that we're here for her if she wants us."

"Here, here," McGonagall agreed with a nod. "I'm with the twins. I'm out of here."

"You can't," Dumbledore cried. "If you all leave the Order falls apart and Voldemort wins."

"You should have thought about that before you faked the death of an innocent girl," McGonagall snapped. "And I'm sure I speak for the rest of the staff at Hogwarts when I say, I think you should resign Albus. I don't think you can be trusted around the students."

"I will not resign," Dumbledore insisted.

"Actually, you might not have a choice," Kingsley said. "I didn't just come here to show you the news. I came on behalf of the Ministry. They want everyone accused in the article to surrender themselves to the Ministry for questioning. You've got until the end of the day, and then arrest warrants will be issued and you'll be pursued as wanted criminals."

"What's going to happen to us at the Ministry?" Arthur questioned as Molly broke down in sobs.

"Hopefully you'll all be locked up," Fred spat. "Come on George, let's get out of here."

"Professor, can we come up to Hogwarts?" George asked McGonagall. "Ginny will be heartbroken when she reads the papers, and she might need us."

"I think that's a good idea," McGonagall said with a nod as she rose to her feet. "Do the right thing, Albus. Take the others and hand yourself in. Face up to the crime you've all committed and accept your punishment like men."

"I can't go to the Ministry," Sirius whispered as slowly the rest of the Order began to depart, each of them expressing their disgust with what had gone on with Hermione. "I'm still a wanted felon. If I go to the Ministry, I'll go straight back to Azkaban."

"I haven't admitted being in contact with you," Kingsley admitted sheepishly. "I guess you could always go on the run again, but be warned, the Ministry will now be hunting for you again. Maybe it'll be better if you hand yourself in with the others."

"I am not handing myself in," Ron spat. "We've done nothing wrong. All we did was try to save our friend's life."

"Then tell that to the Ministry," Kingsley said. "As I said, you've got to the end of the day. If you want my advice, you would come to the Ministry of your own free will. I promise you that if you have to be taken in for questioning by force it'll be worse for you."

"Kingsley's right," Dumbledore said quietly. "I say we go with him now, and Harry when they ask, it was my idea to kidnap Hermione and fake her death, not yours."

"I can't let you take the blame," Harry argued. "We were all in this together."

"But I should bear the brunt of the responsibility," Dumbledore replied. "I can't make anyone accompany me to the Ministry, but I would strongly suggest it."

"What about me?" Sirius asked.

"I can't force you to do anything Sirius," Dumbledore said apologetically. "But this time you'll be on your own. We've got our own freedom to fight for."

"Run, Sirius," Harry advised. "If you go to the Ministry, you'll be arrested and sent straight back to Azkaban. For you this isn't about what happened with Hermione, it's about your earlier conviction. Save yourself Sirius and live to fight another day."

Taking his godson's advice, Sirius left to pack a bag while the other prepared to accompany Kingsley to the Ministry and face the music for their part in what happened with Hermione. What would happen once they got to the Ministry they didn't know, but they would soon find out what fate had in store for them and if they would live to regret their decision to kidnap Hermione and fake her death.


	9. Chapter 9

Draco read the morning's newspaper, barely able to suppress his anger. Hermione's interview had been sensitively handled and it was impossible to read about her plight without sympathising with her. However, it wasn't sympathy Draco felt as he read the article, it was pure hatred. Every time he thought about what Hermione had gone through his blood boiled and he wished that he'd had more than Remus and Tonks to take his anger out on. He would give anything to get his hands on Dumbledore, Potter or Weasley as in his opinion they were the worst of the whole sorry bunch.

"Well?" Hermione asked as Draco finally put the paper down, which was now more than a bit crumpled due to the force he'd been holding it in his hands.

"I want to kill everyone who did this to you," Draco answered in a low, deadly voice.

"That wasn't the reaction I was looking for," Hermione replied with a slight grimace.

"Sorry, but I can't help it," Draco said with a shrug. "I hate every single person who put us through hell and I can't wait to have our revenge on them."

"Just as long as it didn't sound as though that was what I wanted in the interview," Hermione said.

"No, you controlled your anger perfectly," Draco replied. "You didn't sound like someone wanting vengeance, you sound like someone who'd had their heart broken by the people she trusted."

"That's because I did have my heart broken," Hermione pointed out. "Only now it's mending itself and there's no room in it for those who betrayed me."

"What about everyone else?" Draco asked. "They'll be reading this article as we speak. People will be reaching out to you."

"The same people who will hopefully help us defeat Voldemort," Hermione pointed out. "You're not having second thoughts about forming our own group of fighters, are you?"

"No, we agreed with Severus that we're going to need help," Draco replied. "I'm just not sure how keen your friends will be to align themselves with me. I am a known Death Eater, and not a nice one. People might refuse to get involved with the fight once they know I'm part of the deal."

"Then they don't have to be part of our group," Hermione said defiantly as she walked over to where Draco was sitting and tentatively sat on his lap. She only relaxed when his arms wrapped around her waist and he buried his head in her hair. "At the end of the day, this is about us, Draco. We are doing what we need to in order to have a real future together. I would love it if other people joined us in the fight, but if they won't, we'll face Voldemort together. And let's not forget, it's because of what happened to me that you're even a Death Eater. If my death hadn't been faked, we would both be with the Order right now."

"As much as I hate them for what they did to you, I can't help but be glad that I'm not part of their Order," Draco admitted. "They've shown themselves to be just as dark and dangerous as The Dark Lord himself, and I'm pleased I never aligned myself with them."

"I know what you mean," Hermione said quietly. "I hate it that I trusted them, and got so many of them wrong. I thought they were good people."

"Everyone did," Draco replied. "Even though I've never liked Dumbledore, Potter or Weasley, I never thought they were capable of such evil. They may like to pretend it was for the greater good, but they had no right to interfere in your life like that. They can't be trusted, and at least now everyone will know what they're really like."

"I wonder how people are taking it," Hermione mused.

She did wonder if she should have tried getting in touch with some of her old friends before doing the interview, but if she'd done that word might have gotten back to Dumbledore and the others and she wanted them to be taken unawares by the article. Hopefully when she got the chance she could explain herself in person and her friends would understand why she had to do things the way she did. The only thing she wouldn't be explaining was her need for vengeance as she was keeping that private.

"We'll find out soon enough," Draco said as his hand slid under Hermione's top and caressed her smooth skin.

"Are you trying to distract me?" Hermione asked with a teasing smile, happy that things were slowly getting back to some semblance of normality with Draco.

"Is it working?" Draco retorted, pushing down his anger and need for vengeance as he tried to have a normal morning with the witch he loved.

"It might if you keep going," Hermione returned as Draco's hand trailed higher up her torso towards her breasts.

Within five minutes vengeance was the last thing on either of their minds as they stumbled back towards the big bed in Draco's room. Since Hermione's return their sex life had been fairly regular, albeit a bit rougher than normal. However, they'd now been reunited for a couple of days and the overwhelming need to be together that had been present since their reunion was now fading. It meant that things weren't quite as rough and hurried as they had been, and for the first time in months, Draco reconnected with the person he used to be. Taking his time making love to Hermione brought him back to how things had been before her fake death, and it reminded him that there was more to him than the big, bad Death Eater he'd morphed into. For the first time he could see the light Hermione insisted still survived inside him.

Hermione could also sense the change in her boyfriend, although she didn't comment on it. She just let Draco take the lead and dictate the pace of their lovemaking, which was leisurely and a lot more like how they used to make love in the earlier part of their relationship. When they were finished, they collapsed together in a tangled heap and Hermione ran her fingers through Draco's hair while his head rested on her chest.

"I'm sorry," he whispered, finally looking up at his girlfriend.

"What for?" Hermione asked with a frown.

"For not being able to give you that earlier," Draco replied. "And for not being able to promise it will always be like that between us. Sometimes the darkness is going to overwhelm me and I won't have so much control."

"I have no problem with you having less control," Hermione assured her boyfriend. "Things are different now Draco, we're different. I don't expect things to always be like they used to be. We've been through things that have changed us forever, and it's changed our relationship. So what if our sex life is sometimes a bit rough? I haven't been complaining, have I?"

"No, but I don't want to hurt you," Draco confessed. There had a been a couple of times, their first time after their reunion included, when Draco had been worried that he was being too rough and that he was hurting Hermione.

"You would never hurt me," Hermione said confidently. "I actually like the roughness. We've both changed Draco, and we need to accept our needs have changed. It's not always going to be soft and romantic between us, and that's just fine with me. At the end of the day as long as we're together, I'm happy."

"Me too," Draco replied, pulling Hermione down into a searing kiss.

Unfortunately for the couple things didn't get a chance to develop further as the wards Draco had around his wing of the manor alerted him to someone approaching. Not at all happy with the interruption, he jumped off the bed promising Hermione he would be back as quickly as possible. Yanking on some trousers, he then stalked out of the bedroom to see who was in his wing of the manor, and more importantly why.

His parents had actually been pretty decent at giving him and Hermione space, so he would have been surprised to find either of them intruding on their privacy. Although it turned out not to be either Narcissa or Lucius, instead Draco found himself face to face with Blaise and Theo. Neither of his friends looked happy, and when he spotted Blaise holding a copy of The Daily Prophet he understood why.

"Shit," he swore quietly.

"You bastard," Blaise spat. "You knew how worried we were about you. Theo and I have been here for you while you tried to get yourself killed, and this is how you repay us. You never thought to give us a call and tell us what was going on, that your girlfriend was back from the dead and everything is okay?"

"Everything is not okay," Draco snapped. "I'm sorry I never told you about Hermione, but it doesn't change much."

"Are you kidding?" Theo snorted. "It changes everything. Or are you still running around trying to get yourself killed?"

"No, I want to survive," Draco admitted.

"And you didn't think to tell us that?" Blaise asked, his anger fading and his true feelings of hurt coming through for Draco to hear. "Did it not occur to you that we've still been worrying about you? We still wake up every day wondering if this will be the day we get the message to say you've succeeded in your mission and you're dead."

"I'm sorry," Draco apologised, wincing at the thought of everything he'd put his friends through. "But to be honest, no I didn't think about either of you. I haven't been able to think of much else apart from Hermione."

"Okay, I can get that," Theo conceded. "It's not every day your girlfriend comes back from the dead."

"How is she?" Blaise asked.

"Still coming to terms with what happened, we both are," Draco replied.

"I can't believe them bastards Potter and Weasley were part of this," Theo snarled. "I thought they were supposed to be her friends."

"With friends like those who needs enemies?" Blaise snorted.

"So what's going to happen now?" Theo asked. "Surely things can't go on the same. You can't carry on being a Death Eater."

"That's exactly what I am going to do," Draco replied. "Why don't you two go and take a seat in the library. Hermione and I can join you, and we can talk."

"Sounds good," Blaise said with a nod. "We've missed you Draco."

"Yeah, it's good to have you back," Theo added with a small smile.

"I'm not the wizard I used to be," Draco warned, not wanting his friends to get their hopes up. "I've changed, and not even Hermione can bring back the old me."

"As long as you're not suicidal, we'll cope with whatever you we've got," Blaise said. "Good or bad, you're our best friend Draco."

Amazed that Blaise and Theo could still be there for him after the cold shoulder he'd given them, Draco thanked them and sent them off to the library, before returning to Hermione. When he entered the bedroom he found Hermione had pulled on the shirt he'd been wearing and was standing beside the open window. Beside her he could see a couple of letters, and she was reading one with a frown on her face.

"I see the messages have started to arrive," Draco remarked.

"Yes, the twins and Ginny send their love and want to see me," Hermione replied. "There's also a letter from McGonagall and the other staff at Hogwarts expressing their delight that I'm alive and their disgust at what happened to me."

"So why the puzzled face?" Draco asked.

"There's a letter here from the Ministry," Hermione said, handing over the letter she was reading to her boyfriend. "They want me to go and talk to them about what happened."

"I guess it was to be expected," Draco said as he quickly read the letter, kicking himself for not thinking of the possibility of the Ministry getting involved once Hermione's story was out there. After all, she was accusing several people of a serious crime.

"What do I do?" Hermione asked. "It'll look bad if I don't go like they ask, but what will Voldemort think? We never discussed taking legal action against my kidnappers?"

"I'll go and talk to him," Draco answered. "But we've also got Blaise and Theo in the library. They came to give me a piece of their minds for not telling them you were back."

"Your mother said they refused to give up on you and your friendship," Hermione remarked.

"Even though I treated them like dirt," Draco said with a sigh. "Bloody hell Hermione, I've messed everything up. I feel apart after I lost you, and I pushed away everyone else who cared about me."

"Yet they're still here to support you," Hermione countered. "Doesn't that tell you something?"

"That I'm a lucky git," Draco snorted.

"You are," Hermione agreed. "You're lucky you've got people who truly love you, and we're both lucky to have a second chance together. So let's get dressed and before you go and see Voldemort, we can go and talk to Blaise and Theo. I take it we're going to tell them everything and get them aboard with our plan."

"Yeah, we'll tell them everything," Draco replied with a nod. "Knowing those two, they'll join us in the fight."

Of course Draco was completely right and once Blaise and Theo knew the score they vowed to help in any way they could. After everything their friend had been through, they weren't going to abandon him now. Draco may have insisted that he was changed wizard and the old Draco was gone, but like Hermione, Blaise and Theo still saw the light in their best friend. They refused to believe he was beyond salvation and they would do everything in their power to make sure he and Hermione got the happy ending that Dumbledore and his little group of cohorts almost ripped away from them.


	10. Chapter 10

When Voldemort heard that the Ministry wanted to talk to Hermione, he immediately informed Draco to make sure his girlfriend attended the meeting and repeated the story she'd told to the reporter. To be honest everyone had been so focused on how the revelation that Hermione was alive would tear the Order apart that they'd failed to factor the Ministry into their plans. However, the prospect of the Ministry taking legal action against those who had kidnapped Hermione and faked her death played right into Voldemort's hands. With the Ministry involved, he wouldn't have to worry about luring Harry and Dumbledore into a battle, he could just wait for them to be sent to Azkaban where they would be sitting ducks, just waiting for him to take them out.

Hermione wasn't at all keen on going to the Ministry by herself, and since it wasn't yet wise to have her associated with the Malfoys, Lucius arranged for the family lawyer to send a member of his staff to accompany Hermione to the Ministry. Hermione ended up being accompanied to the meeting by an attractive blonde witch in her mid-thirties, who made sure the Ministry remembered that Hermione was the victim, and deserved to be treated with respect.

The meeting went better than Hermione had anticipated, and there were only a couple of times she felt uncomfortable with the questions being asked of her. The first time was when Sirius was mentioned and she'd had to admit to being in contact with a known criminal before her kidnapping, although the lawyer at her side was quick to point out that during that time she'd trusted Dumbledore and believed him when he claimed Sirius was innocent. It was also pointed out that even if she had gone to the Ministry, she wouldn't have been able to give the address of the property Sirius was staying at as it was protected by the fidelius charm since it was being used as Order headquarters.

The only other time Hermione was uncomfortable was the only time she had to lie. While she'd told the truth about everything that had happened to her it had been decided before she spoke to the press that she shouldn't admit to living with a family of known supporters of Voldemort. So instead of telling the truth about how she was rescued, she claimed to have escaped during the commotion of the attack, and therefore had no idea what had happened to Tonks and Remus, who had been with her at the time. Thanks to the lawyer Lucius had provided her with, she didn't even have to inform the Ministry where she was currently living as the lawyer claimed she was still fearful of another kidnapping attempt and wanted to keep her location a secret. The lawyer also pointed out that if the Ministry wished to speak to Hermione again, they could merely send an owl as they knew for a fact that owls reached her.

In the end, Hermione spent most of the afternoon at the Ministry and when she left, the officials investigating her case promised to keep her up to date with what was happening with her abductors. Hermione had been told that aside from Sirius, everyone involved with her kidnapping was at the Ministry being interviewed, and she knew that they'd all still been there when she left and returned back to Malfoy Manor.

Back at the safety of the manor, Hermione and Draco joined Lucius and Narcissa in the front room, where they also found Voldemort and Bellatrix waiting with them. Hermione would rather not have had to relive her interview in front of Voldemort, but she kept her nerves at bay as she recounted what had happened at the Ministry.

"And what of Dumbledore and his minions?" Voldemort asked.

"They were still there when I left," Hermione replied. "All except Sirius. He failed to hand himself in with the others and there's a warrant out for his arrest."

"Little good that did them last time," Bellatrix snorted.

"I'm sure if we try, we can catch Black," Voldemort said. "How about it Bella, do you think you can track down your cousin?"

"Consider it done," Bellatrix replied with a smirk.

"What do you think will happen to Dumbledore and the others?" Narcissa asked. "Will they be charged with kidnapping Hermione and faking her death?"

"With any luck," Voldemort said. "With all the evidence against them, I can't see them being able to walk away. Even Dumbledore can't talk his way out of this one."

"Let's hope not," Lucius remarked. "Although we do know for sure that we succeeded in breaking the Order. Severus sent a brief message earlier to say that everyone was disgusted with what had happened and they're all distancing themselves from Dumbledore."

"Good, with any luck they've had the fight knocked out of them," Voldemort said. "But if they do fight, they'll be killed," he added in a warning to Hermione.

"I understand," Hermione replied with a solemn nod. Now what she had to do was ensure that the remains of the Order didn't fight against Voldemort until they were ready to take him out. "But what about Dumbledore and Harry? Are you just going to let the Ministry deal with them?"

"Before I do anything, let's see what the Ministry does do," Voldemort replied. "If we're lucky they'll all be sent to Azkaban awaiting their trial."

"How is that lucky?" Bellatrix frowned.

"Because in Azkaban they'll be sitting targets," Voldemort explained. "I can take out both Potter and Dumbledore in Azkaban, without having to engage in a long, drawn out battle. This really couldn't have worked out better for us."

"I wouldn't get too carried away just yet," Draco remarked as the sound of an owl tapping on the window interrupted the conversation.

Lucius was the one who opened the window and removed the letter from the owl's leg before it went soaring back into the evening sky. Shutting the window again, he turned around and handed the letter to Hermione.

"It's from the Ministry," he said quietly.

All eyes were on Hermione as she tore open the letter and quickly read the update on her case.

"Well?" Voldemort demanded in a gruff bark. He wasn't the most patient of men, and he still hadn't quite decided if Hermione could be trusted.

"They've released everyone, pending further investigations," Hermione said, passing the letter to Draco for her boyfriend to have a look.

"Damn it," Voldemort swore. "I thought we had them."

"We still might," Draco said. "They've been released, but their wands were surrendered to the Ministry and they've been issued with magical cuffs restricting their magical use and providing a tracking system for the Ministry. They're free for the moment, but they can't escape."

"It sounds to me like they're building a solid case before they charge them," Lucius said. He'd had some experience with how the Ministry worked, and he knew that the Minister of Magic, Cornelius Fudge, was a cautious man and would want an airtight case before charging someone like Dumbledore with such a serious crime.

"So you still think they'll go to Azkaban?" Hermione checked.

"I think it's still a very real possibility," Lucius assured his son's girlfriend. "The time to worry is if there's still no charges laid against them in a couple of days."

"We'll just have to be patient then," Voldemort said as he rose to his feet. "Good work Miss Granger. Come now Bella, you've got a wayward dog to track down."

Hermione kept her cool as Voldemort and Bellatrix left the room, however once they were gone she couldn't help but shudder slightly. Being in Voldemort's presence unnerved her, and it didn't help that she got the distinct impression he still didn't trust her. Fortunately his trust in Draco seemed solid enough, and really that was all they needed in order to string him along until they'd dealt with Harry and Dumbledore and they were free to try and take him down.

"Severus is waiting in my study to see you, Hermione," Lucius said, once he was sure that Voldemort and Bellatrix had left the property.

"How long has he been here?" Hermione asked with a frown.

"He arrived shortly before The Dark Lord," Lucius answered. "We thought it was best if he stayed out of the way since it's the rebellion he wants to talk to you about."

"Come on, we can go and see him before heading to bed," Draco said as he held his hand out for Hermione.

"Are you not joining us for dinner?" Narcissa asked with a slight pout. She still hadn't yet gotten her son back fully, and she was dying for the day he didn't scurry out of sight as quickly as he could.

"Not tonight," Draco answered shortly. "Maybe another time," he added, trying to give his mother a small smile when Hermione elbowed him in the ribs.

"I'll look forward to it," Narcissa whispered, shooting Hermione a grateful smile. It was still strange to think of her son with a muggleborn, but it was clear she was good for Draco and hopefully once the war was over and done with, her son would come back to her and they could get a chance to be a proper family once more.

Leaving Lucius and Narcissa to their own devices for the evening, Draco took Hermione to his father's study. There they found Severus sitting in a chair beside the fire, browsing through a book which he put down when they entered the room.

"Sorry for keeping you, I didn't know you were here," Hermione apologised as she and Draco settled into chairs opposite the Potions Professor.

"I quite understand," Severus said. "You have to keep The Dark Lord onside. He is still onside, isn't he?"

"He doesn't trust Hermione, but I've still got his trust," Draco replied. "Hermione will also get it if she shows no sign of weakness when he takes out Dumbledore and Potter."

"Which I won't," Hermione insisted. "They're going to get what's coming to them. I just don't know if it'll involved being sent to Azkaban."

"Have they been released?" Severus asked.

"Pending further inquiries," Draco replied. "But they've got no wands and limits on their magic. They're in the Ministry's sights."

"I can promise you that they won't be welcomed back to the Order, or to Hogwarts," Severus said. "The anger and disgust was even stronger than I'd anticipated. Nothing they can say will change people's minds about them."

"I've had letters from the twins and Ginny, and McGonagall, all offering their support," Hermione said.

"There's actually more waiting for you upstairs," Draco said. "Owls have been arriving all afternoon."

"But will they all join us in fighting against Voldemort?" Hermione asked, looking more to Severus as he was the one with access to everyone else.

"I would think so," Severus replied. "I admit, I haven't suggested any sort of counter rebellion as I didn't want to draw attention to the fact I already knew you were alive. This morning with the Order no-one asked me if I'd seen you at the manor."

"But procuring support for us would have given the game away," Hermione said with an understanding nod.

"Why don't you gather the new group," Draco suggested to his girlfriend. "The Weasleys asked to see you, and McGonagall also mentioned meeting with you. You could arrange meetings with your friends and start gathering forces."

"But how can I meet them?" Hermione asked. "We don't want Voldemort getting suspicious."

"If we're building a new group to fight Voldemort, we're going to need regular meetings anyway," Severus pointed out. "You can't ask people to stand with you and fight, but yet never show your face. You and Draco are going to have to take charge and lead the group."

"I've been thinking about that, and I was thinking we could utilise a Malfoy house that we rarely use," Draco said. "We've got one on the outskirts of London. The last time I remember visiting it was when I was five, and I don't think mother and father have used it since them either. Hermione could meet her friends there, and then we could use it as headquarters."

"Does Voldemort know about it?" Hermione asked.

"Not that I know of, but I'll check with father," Draco replied. "If we're going to use it, I'll get mother to send the elves to clean it up. As I said, you should meet with your friends first before we start gathering a new fighting force."

"Do you think I should mention you right away?" Hermione asked her boyfriend.

"That's your call, but I wouldn't," Draco answered. "It might be best if we waited for the first meeting and then we only have to tell out story once. But if you do want to tell your friends about us beforehand, then I'll support you."

"No, I like your way," Hermione said with a nod. "I'll write back to everyone who's sent me a letter, promising to be in touch with a time to meet. I can then be reunited with my friends before the serious business of war begins again."

Thanking Severus for his help, Hermione and Draco headed back to Draco's wing of the manor. While Draco sent for some food, Hermione opened the others letters that had come for her over the course of the afternoon and she made a list of everyone she needed to write back to. After they'd ate, Draco went off to talk to his parents about the house in London, while Hermione wrote back to her friends, thanking them for their love and support and promising that they could meet up soon and be reunited in person.


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N - Due to the inability to post last week, I will post the final chapter of this part of the story on Friday as a bonus for people missing out last week.**

* * *

A few days after the Christmas break had started at Hogwarts, Hermione nervously paced the floor in front of the window in the lovely, three story house in London the Malfoys had agreed could be used to play host to the new group that would fight Voldemort. Despite the fact she didn't agree with how house elves were treated, Hermione had to admit they'd worked great to get the house ready for people to visit. Lucius had also visited the house and removed a few valuable items and the odd couple of dark arts things that he'd long ago stored in the house. After all, if they were going to use the house as a base to fight Voldemort, it wouldn't do to have dark arts materials lying around.

Although before they could even think about using the house as some sort of headquarters, Hermione first had to get through the reunions with her friends. It was impossible for her to schedule meetings with everyone who'd wrote to her, but she'd settled on meetings with the most important people. Although she had wrote back to everyone who had wrote to her and she was hoping that would all be part of helping her defeat Voldemort once and for all.

The first people Hermione was going to meet with were the Weasleys, and to be honest they were the ones she was the most worried about seeing given the state of things. Following their initial interviews at the Ministry, and their subsequent release, everyone involved with her kidnapping had been free to live their lives for a week, before they were called back to the Ministry and charged with kidnapping Hermione and faking her death. Due to the money Harry had access to and the influence Dumbledore had, it had been decided to remand everyone in custody, which meant they were all carted off to Azkaban to await trail. Needless to say, Hermione was nervous about seeing the Weasleys as their parents and brother were currently languishing in Azkaban.

Although Hermione didn't have too long to worry as movement caught her eye out of the window and she witnessed the twins, Ginny and their two older brothers arriving in the front garden. Taking a few calming breaths, Hermione made her way to the front door before anyone even had a chance to knock. When she opened the door, she didn't even manage to say hello before a sobbing Ginny launched herself at her. The twins also joined in the embrace and Hermione felt her own tears began to fall as she was held by three Weasleys.

"If you don't let Hermione go, you'll suffocate her," Charlie Weasley joked to his siblings.

"I just can't believe you're here," Ginny cried as she and her brothers did indeed allow Hermione some space.

"Believe it," Hermione replied as she wiped her wet face.

"This is still all so surreal," Fred muttered, both he and George running their hands down Hermione's arms as if to prove she was real.

"Tell me about it," Hermione snorted. "I've had months to come to terms with what's happened, and I still can't always believe it's happened."

"We're really sorry for what did happen," Bill Weasley offered. "We had no idea our parents and Ron were capable of what they did to you."

"I don't think it's something anyone could have expected," Hermione conceded.

She was especially touched by Bill and Charlie's concern as she'd only met the pair a couple of times and she knew they'd both only returned home full time during the time she was been held captive when their other brother, Percy, had been killed. Of course, she knew that Draco was responsible for Percy's death, and she wasn't quite sure how that would go down once the Weasleys discovered Draco was going to be a major part in helping take down Voldemort. Although, that was a problem for the future, right now all she cared about was catching up with her friends.

"This is a nice place," Charlie remarked as Hermione ushered the Weasleys into the front room. "Is this where you've been staying?"

"No," Hermione answered honestly. "But this is the house I'm hoping to use as headquarters for a new Order. I'm sure you can understand why I want nothing to do with the old one."

"That makes all of us," Fred said. "Although to be fair, everyone involved in your kidnapping is locked up in Azkaban."

"Except Sirius," Hermione pointed out. "But even so, I don't want to go back to any place that has associations with the past. I want a fresh start."

"Are we included in your fresh start?" Ginny asked softly.

"I hope so," Hermione replied, smiling at the younger girl and taking hold of her hand in hers. "I really want you all to join me in creating a new Order of some kind."

"We're with you all the way," George promised.

"I hope you still are when you know everything," Hermione said. "There is more to this story than you know."

"Intriguing," Bill remarked. "Are you going to elaborate?"

"To be honest I'd really rather just tell my story once," Hermione admitted. "I was hoping we could arrange a meeting of people interested in carrying on the fight against Voldemort, and I could explain everything then. Of course, if people then want to walk away, I'll understand."

"No matter what, we won't be walking away," Ginny vowed. "After everything our parents and Ron have put you through, it's a miracle you're still talking to us."

"I don't hold any of you responsible for what the others have done," Hermione reassured the family. "But as I'm sure you'll understand, I'll never be able to forgive them."

"We understand that," Fred said. "I'm not sure if we'll ever be able to forgive them either."

"I'm not sure anyone will," George snorted. "The entire wizarding world is disgusted with them."

"Can we talk about something else?" Hermione asked. She wasn't entirely comfortable with discussing those in prison as Voldemort had already made it clear that Harry and Dumbledore wouldn't live to see their trials, and she didn't yet know what would happen with the Weasleys.

Fortunately, the Weasleys were more than happy to discuss something other than their incarnated parents and brother. As Hermione caught up with the redheads, she was careful not to mention Draco and where she'd been living since her escape. She did feel guilty about not confessing to such a major part of her life, but she knew that things would be easier to explain with Draco by her side, and it would also be better to just have to explain things once. Then if people didn't want to know them, and help them, at least Hermione could remember this reunion and how pleased the Weasleys were to see her.

The Weasleys stayed for nearly three hours, and when Bill announced it was time they should be going, Ginny was reluctant to leave. In the end there was a long, emotional, goodbye before they went their separate ways. Hermione promised to organise a meeting for their new group as soon as possible, and the Weasleys promised to rally the troops to attend the meeting with them.

Shortly after the Weasleys left, Hermione's next visitor arrived. It was Minerva McGonagall and she came laden down with cards and presents from the staff at Hogwarts. Like the Weasleys, she was emotional seeing Hermione in the flesh and like the redheads, she was more than happy to be part of a new group dedicated to fighting Voldemort and she also promised to bring as many people as she could at the meeting.

"I just can't believe you're still here," McGonagall said softly, after the pair had talked for an hour as she was getting ready to depart. "Getting you back is like a miracle."

Sharing one final hug, Hermione said goodbye to her former Professor and prepared for her final visitors. Her final visitors were a group of four, three Gryffindor boys and one Ravenclaw witch. The group arrived an hour after McGonagall left, and yet again Hermione found herself in a group hug.

"I can't believe this," Neville Longbottom said, giving Hermione a second hug after all the others had backed off. "I've missed you so much."

"I've missed you too, Neville," Hermione returned. "All of you," she added with a smile, including her other visitors, Seamus Finnigan, Dean Thomas and Luna Lovegood.

"What's it like to be alive again?" Seamus asked as they settled in the front room.

"I was never actually dead, Seamus," Hermione pointed out with a laugh.

"I know, but now you're free again. You can come and go as you please," Seamus said. "I bet that's good."

"It is," Hermione admitted with a nod. "It was torture being stuck in that house, knowing people I loved were grieving for me, yet not being able to do a thing about it."

"I can't imagine what you went through," Dean said with a shudder. "And to think Harry and Ron were a part of it. They seemed so devastated when we thought you'd died."

"They managed to pull the wool over a lot of people's eyes," Hermione said. "They certainly had me fooled. I thought I could trust them."

"We all did," Neville said sadly. "Just like we all thought we could trust Dumbledore."

"And now what do we do?" Luna asked. "How do we fight You-Know-Who without Harry and Dumbledore? If only they hadn't turned out to be just as dangerous as he is."

"Actually, I still want to fight," Hermione announced. "I know how to defeat him, I'm just going to need help."

"Count us in," Dean said eagerly.

"We're at your service, Hermione," Seamus added.

"Just tell us where and when and we'll be here," Neville promised. "We can even gather some other people. I think a lot of people will support you Hermione. You can be our new saviour."

"I don't know about that, but I won't rest until Voldemort is gone," Hermione replied.

"He doesn't stand a chance against the smartest witch of our age," Seamus declared.

"Down with You-Know-Who," Dean cried.

Hermione chuckled at her friend's enthusiasm for the fight ahead, she just hoped it remained once Draco was in the picture. However, as she'd already decided that was a matter for another day, right now she had other things to focus on. Like reconnecting with her friends, which she set about doing as the topic of Voldemort was left to one side for the time being.

"Don't ever leave us again," Neville whispered to Hermione as he gave her a goodbye hug.

"I'll try not to," Hermione returned with a small smile.

Saying goodbye to her friends and promising to be in touch soon with a meeting time for the new Order, Hermione waved them off before collapsing onto the sofa in the front room in an emotional heap. Even though all she'd done all day was sit around and talk, she felt exhausted and emotionally drained. Every meeting it had hit her just how much damage Harry and the others had caused. They'd caused so much pain and suffering, and to be honest she still didn't even know if they felt any remorse for their actions. Were they sitting in Azkaban regretting what they'd done to her, or were they just bemoaning their own bad fortunes of being stuck in Azkaban?

Hoping that she would one day find out if her friends regretted what they'd done to her, Hermione set about re-erecting the wards around the house. She was now back with her wand as one of the first things the Ministry had done upon charging Dumbledore was remove her wand from his possession and return it to her. To be honest after months of using very little magic it felt strange to have her wand back, and often Hermione found herself doing things without magic, forgetting that she could now use magic whenever she pleased.

With the house protected again, Hermione activated the floo and headed back to Malfoy Manor. As arranged the floo deposited her directly into Draco's wing of the manor and she found her boyfriend nervously pacing the library as he awaited her return.

"How did it go?" he asked the second he spotted her.

"Draining," Hermione replied. "I feel like I could sleep for a month."

"So, there were no problems?" Draco asked.

"A couple of people were curious when I mentioned there was more to the story than they knew, but no-one minded waiting until the first meeting to hear the whole story."

"So, they were interested in helping us fight?"

"Most definitely," Hermione replied with a nod. "We're going to have a full house at the first meeting."

"Whether it stays that way after I've made my presence felt is another matter," Draco muttered darkly. He couldn't help but regret his actions of the past few months as he knew it would take a lot for the people Hermione was counting on for support to forget his past behaviour and trust him.

"Anyone who doesn't want to join us, doesn't have to," Hermione replied with a shrug. "Even if there's just the two of us at the end of the day, we'll still fight."

"Until the bitter end," Draco vowed, pulling Hermione into his arms and ending their conversation with a searing kiss which quickly progressed to the couple moving into the bedroom and spending the rest of the evening expressing their desire for one another.


	12. Chapter 12

The day before Christmas Eve, Hermione was once again at the Malfoy house in London, preparing to see her friends again. Only this time she wasn't alone, Draco was with her and they were preparing for the meeting that would decide if they were going to have any support in fighting Voldemort. Although even if all of Hermione's friends chose to walk away and leave them to it, Draco's friends were standing by them.

Blaise and Theo had already arrived for the meeting, along with Theo's girlfriend, Daphne Greengrass, Pansy Parkinson, Vincent Crabbe and Gregory Goyle. Hermione hadn't really met any of the Slytherins aside from Blaise and Theo, but they were all perfectly accepting of her and vowed to help her and Draco in any way they could. Even Pansy, who Hermione had been especially wary of, had been nothing but supportive and she explained to Hermione that they all loved Draco and had been heartbroken to witness what he'd gone through when he'd lost Hermione, and now he was getting a second chance at happiness they would all do what they could to ensure he didn't lose that as well.

"Sounds like we're ready to go," Theo remarked when there was a knock on the front door.

"I'll go and let people in, you lot stay here until everyone is here," Hermione ordered as she took a couple of deep breaths to settle her nerves and went to answer the door. She and Draco had talked about the best way to handle things, and they'd decided it was best to wait until everyone had arrived before he showed his face.

Hermione wasn't sure how many people to expect, although the Weasleys, McGonagall and the other Gryffindors had all promised her to round up as many people as they could, so instead of showing people into the front room, she took them into the large dining room which held a decent sized table. The Weasleys were the first to arrive, and they came with dozens of people they'd gone to school with, several of whom Hermione knew as her early years at Hogwarts had coincided with their later years. Neville, Dean and Seamus also arrived with plenty of students from Hermione's year who had just left school, as well as a few younger students eager to fight.

McGonagall brought with her several members of the Order, although thankfully not Tonks's parents, along with most of the staff from Hogwarts. Hermione was delighted to see Professor Flitwick had accompanied McGonagall, despite now being confined to a wheelchair thanks to the serious damage he'd sustained to his back while helping keep Colin Creevey alive during the attack on Hogsmeade.

By the time everyone had arrived, the dining room was packed and Hermione was overwhelmed by how many people had turned up. It was more people than the Order had ever managed to have at their disposal, and Hermione was just hoping that most of them chose to stick around to fight once Draco had made an appearance and they'd told their story.

"Wow, I have to say, I didn't expect as many people to turn up," Hermione remarked.

"We all want to fight, and we all want to show our support to you," Ginny said with a smile.

"I appreciate it," Hermione replied, returning Ginny's smile. "Before we discuss Voldemort and how to bring him down, I think it's time you all heard the full story of what happened to me."

"We already know it," Seamus pointed out. "You told all in your interview with The Daily Prophet."

"Actually, I didn't," Hermione confessed. "I left out a part of the story that wasn't mine to tell."

Aware that everyone's attention was on her, Hermione walked over to the door and opened it. As they'd talked about Draco and his friends were ready for their appearance and they walked into the room. However, the second the group set eyes on Draco all hell broke loose and almost everyone began to yell and scream, and even a few wands were produced.

"Please calm down," Hermione cried, calling for order which slowly occurred. "We can explain everything. Please, trust me."

"We do trust you Hermione, it's him we don't trust," Charlie said, his wand aimed at Draco. What he didn't know was that since they were in a Malfoy property, Draco was protected from any spells he might throw his way. "Not only is he a Death Eater, but he killed Percy."

"I'm aware of that," Hermione said with a regretful sigh. "And Draco regrets his actions."

"It looks like it," Bill sneered. "He's not exactly bursting with remorse, is he?"

"You have no idea what I'm feeling," Draco said quietly. "And for the record, I do regret what happened to your brother. I'm sorry for killing him."

"And are you sorry for what you did to Ron?" Ginny asked. She may have distanced herself from her brother, but Ron was still her flesh and blood and she felt it only right that someone should mention what Draco had done to him. "You broke his leg so badly he'll never walk properly again."

"He's lucky I only broke his leg," Draco snarled. "If I'd known at the time that he had Hermione held prisoner and had helped fake her death, I would have broken his damn neck."

The Weasleys all recoiled at Draco's brutal words, but most of the rest of the group were looking at Draco in shock. The passion he'd spoken with and the use of Hermione's first name had painted a vivid picture for everyone in the room to see.

"You love her," Neville said softly.

"I do," Draco confirmed with a nod of his head.

"Who loves who?" Ginny asked with a frown. "I'm confused."

"Malfoy loves Hermione," Dean explained.

"How?" Ginny gasped.

"But he's a Death Eater," Charlie pointed out.

"Only because he thought I was dead," Hermione replied. "I promise we will answer any questions you have, but first will you give us a chance to tell our story?"

Several hushed conversations took place in the room, before everyone slowly retook their seats and turned their attention to Hermione and Draco. While Draco's friends slid into empty seats, the couple remained on their feet, hands clasped together as they explained about their relationship. They went right back to the beginning and explained how they got together, before going on to explain how they'd decided that aligning themselves with the Order would have been the best way to ensure their future together.

"Let me get this straight," McGonagall interrupted. "You were wanting to join the Order?"

"I wouldn't say I wanted to join, more like I knew it was the best thing for Hermione and I," Draco answered.

"And what about your parents?" Flitwick asked. "Would you have left them behind?"

"If I had to, but I actually thought they might follow us," Draco replied.

"Yet they've now firmly nailed their allegiance to Voldemort's cause," Kingsley pointed out.

"Because of me," Draco said. "They abandoned their neutral stance because of me."

"Because you became a Death Eater," Dean stated bluntly.

"And why would you do that if you love Hermione?" Seamus questioned.

"I thought I'd lost her," Draco replied in a soft voice. "Like everyone else in this room, I thought she was killed. Losing her broke my heart and I didn't want to go on without her. I knew The Dark Lord would never tolerate the fact I loved a muggleborn and had planned to go to the Order, so I went and told him everything."

"You went to get yourself killed," Fred gasped.

"As you can see, it didn't work," Draco said with a rueful smile. "I fully expected him to lash out and kill me, but instead he laughed at me and gave me the mark. It wasn't what I'd planned, but I still saw it as a way out."

"And that was why you've never fought with a mask," Charlie whispered. "You were waiting for someone to take you out."

"I was," Draco confirmed with a nod. "I was reckless and went into every battle hoping it would be my last. I stop caring about everyone and everything, and I didn't care who got in my way."

"Which is how you seemed so ruthless," McGonagall said quietly.

"Yes, and I regret my actions during that time," Draco replied. "I know I can never erase what I've done, but I can help try and end The Dark Lord and free the wizarding world from the war it's gripped in."

"We're going to need Draco in order to defeat Voldemort," Hermione said. She'd been happy to let Draco talk up until now, but she knew she needed to be the one to rally her friends to form a decent fighting force.

"Let's not get ahead of ourselves," Kingsley advised. "Before I decide whether or not to join forces with you, I need some more answers. Starting with Tonks and Remus. Did you really escape when the Death Eaters attacked as you claimed in the papers?"

"No, I was taken alongside them," Hermione admitted. "We were all taken to Malfoy Manor, and it was only when Lucius saw me that I was released from the dungeons. I've been staying at the manor ever since."

"And what about the fact they're now both dead?" Charlie questioned. "Did you have anything to do with that?"

"No, she didn't," Draco answered, jumping in before Hermione had a chance to speak. "Hermione never saw either of them once she was freed from the dungeons."

"But you did," McGonagall stated, knowing Draco well enough to know there was more he wasn't saying.

"I did," Draco replied shortly. "I'm going to be honest with you, and tell you all now, that I played a part in their deaths. I was furious when I discovered what had happened to Hermione, and unlucky for them, they happened to be in my dungeons. I would have done the same to anyone else who had been involved with what had happened to Hermione."

"Does that mean you're planning to kill everyone else involved?" Bill demanded sharply. There was no way he would ever forgive his parents and Ron for what they'd done, but he couldn't join forces with someone who wanted them dead.

"No," Draco lied. It had already been decided that he and Hermione would be denying any knowledge of what was to happen to those in Azkaban. "Everyone else has been arrested and are being dealt with by the Ministry. Thanks to Hermione's influence, I'm content to let justice be done. Although I'll warn you now, if they wheedle their way out of trouble, I won't be happy and I won't be promising to stay away."

"But as long as they're in Azkaban, they're safe?" Ginny asked hopefully.

"They are from me," Draco replied. "The Dark Lord is another matter entirely."

"You think he might go after them?" Kingsley asked.

"I don't know," Draco replied. "At the minute, he's not really involving me in things. I've just about used up what little good will I have with him to keep Hermione safe. I can't keep her safe and worry about what he's going to do to his enemies. I would say there's a good chance Dumbledore and Potter aren't safe. As for the rest, I don't think he really cares either way what happens to them."

"Should we warn the Ministry?" McGonagall asked. While she was happy Dumbledore and the others had been punished by being sent to Azkaban, she didn't want to see them brutally slayed.

"Security at Azkaban is tighter than ever," Kingsley replied. "No-one will get to Dumbledore and the others," he said, looking directly at Draco as though he was challenging him.

"I've already told you, I have no intention of doing anything," Draco said. "As long as they remain locked up, I'm happy. All I really want to do is defeat The Dark Lord so that I can get on with my life with Hermione."

"Why do you need to defeat Voldemort to do that?" Bill asked. "Surely as one of his Death Eaters you'll be just fine if he wins the war."

"I will, but Hermione won't be," Draco answered. "I'm bloody lucky I've been able to stop him from killing her as it is. He won't allow us to be together in the long term. Right now, he's letting her live to keep me sweet. But sooner or later he's going to lose patience and he'll want rid of her. I won't stand around and do nothing while Hermione's life is in danger. Killing him is the only way to keep her safe, so killing him is what I'm going to do."

"We," Hermione corrected, smiling at her boyfriend. "It's what we're going to do. Hopefully with the help of our friends," she added, looking around the room. "We don't expect you to trust Draco, or even approve of what he's done over the last few months. But I would hope you could all trust me. We didn't ask for this, and none of it would have happened if Dumbledore and the others hadn't tried to play god. But thanks to them, this is how things stand, and we're the last line of defence against Voldemort and his forces."

"But can we even win without Harry?" Neville asked. "Everyone knows he's the wizard in the prophecy."

"We don't need Harry to defeat Voldemort," Hermione insisted. "We need a way to get rid of him, and Draco and I have that way. But we can't do it alone. We need your help."

A couple of people Hermione didn't know very well shook their heads and stated that they wouldn't fight alongside Draco, however most people slowly promised to help with the fight. Hermione half expected some of the Weasleys to refuse to help, but they all pledged their support. Neville, Dean, Seamus and the other students also pledged their help, as did Kingsley and some more of the Order. Finally McGonagall and the staff from Hogwarts all promised their help.

"Now what?" Ginny asked when the people who no longer wished to be involved had left.

"Now we make some plans," Hermione stated, automatically taking on the position as the leader. "I suggest everyone enjoys their Christmas, because come New Year the real work begins. It's time we brought down Voldemort once and for all."

 **To be Continued...**

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 **A/N – I want to thank everyone for reading this story – especially with it being in four parts and only updating once a week. Normally, I would say the next part will be posted after a couple of weeks break, but this time there might be a slightly longer gap before the final part is posted.**

 **As I explained at the end of Goddess, these last few months haven't been very productive writing wise. It's been a ridiculously hot summer, and I don't cope very well with heat, so the amount of writing I was able to do has unfortunately suffered. And then just as the weather started to cool, and time wise I had the perfect week for lots of writing, my laptop broke. Luckily, I didn't lose any of the stories I was working on, but I am still getting things sorted on my new laptop.**

 **However, I do aim to get the final part of Shattered Trust out this year, so while there might be a slightly longer break before part 4, it won't be too long. So thanks again for reading, and I will include a note on this story when part 4 is ready to go.**


	13. Part 4

The fourth and final part of Shattered Trust has now been posted.

It is called Shattered Trust – Victory, and is rated M.


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